The Effect of Political Machines on the Democratic System...

The Effect of Political Machines on the Democratic System â€Å"A really efficient totalitarian state would be one in which the all-powerful executive of political bosses and their army of managers control a population of slaves who do not have to be coerced, because they love their servitude To make them love it is the task assigned† - Aldous Huxley (Quotes, 1). Through the strong sarcasm in this statement the negative effect political bosses have on a liberal society can be seen. In the late 1800’s there was a rise in the number of incoming immigrants in the United States, and that was when certain groups called ‘political machines’ started to spring up. These groups were initially designed to help†¦show more content†¦Also, Tammany Hall was run by only a small percentage of the population, wealthy, privileged, white males. People in other classes were not represented and had no say, which therefore went against the basis of democracy where everyone is supposed to have an equal say and equal rights. A statistic that shows us just how corrupt Tammany Hall was, is that it is believed to have conned New York City out of somewhere between 30-200 million dollars (about.com, 1). Having such dishonest and deceitful leaders definitely goes against the democratic system, which is all about being honest. Another political machine that went against the principles of democracy was that of Edward Crump. In Memphis, Tennessee, through his political machine Crump controlled everything. That in itself is one of the things that negatively impacted the democratic system. All of the peoples’ power was in one man, which is too much power for one person to have in a democracy. Also, with this power Crump mistreated those lower than him. For example, when he arrived at sporting events the crowd was expected to cheer, and he ordered the people to address him as â€Å"Boss† when talking to him. This is undemocratic since all this power is concentrated in one man, whereas in aShow MoreRelatedPolitical Parties And The Democratic Party984 Words   |  4 Pages When looking at the history of US political parties, and classifying these parties into distinct party systems, five separate periods emerge leading up to the current party system. When classifying these party systems, it is important to look at characteristics such as the number of major parties, how these parties seek t o gain support, and how the parties organize themselves. The earliest American parties were relatively centralized organizations that represented elite level concerns. They formedRead MoreDemocracy In America1589 Words   |  7 Pages Virginia was pried on its honest government in the days of Byrd machine. It was describes as museum of democracy where the government reflected nothing according to the will of the public. The basic structure was not equal for urban residents, women, minorities and the Republicans. The power and authority was in the hands of few white men. The right to vote for electing the members of General assembly was established in 1619 but only to those, which had a certain amount of property. Black men wereRead MorePolitical Impacts Of The French Revolution1286 Words   |  6 PagesDuring the 16th through 18th centuries, European civilization experienced big changes to its social, political, and economic structures. A break from the Middle Ages began during the Scientific Revolution when respected thinkers of the time began to explore new possibilities, such as the likelihood of a sun-centered universe instead of an earth-centered one. The Enlightenment was an intellectual and cultural movement that pointed out the danger of unchecked authority and concentrated on values ofRead MoreThe History Of Politics In Texas1179 Words   |  5 Pagesunderstanding of the cultural changes that occurred throughout the years. Texas has one of the most interesting shifts: an almost clean-cut shift from a Democratic, or ‘blue’, st ate, to a Republican, or ‘red’, state, after nearly 100 years of Democratic dominance. This is comparable to the state of Virginia, which also saw Republican representation after Democratic dominance for nearly 50 years. However, where Texas remains mainly Republican today, Virginia is an accurate embodiment of a â€Å"two-party state†Read MoreThe History And Downfalls Of Nigeria Essay1499 Words   |  6 Pageselectoral system has experienced many upsets and downfalls. This transition has been anything but smooth with large amounts of corruption within the country s political and socio-economic system. Due to the ineffectiveness of governance, it has been extremely difficult for Nigeria to effectively democratize. In order to improve Nigeria’s corrupt electoral system, the Nigerian government has established many agencies to enact numerous reforms, including: Establishing an agency to oversee political electionsRead MoreThe United States Federal Governmen t1162 Words   |  5 Pageselect the leaders who will mold the future of the society. This is the reason why elections entitle an ordinary resident; it allows people to influence the future policies of the government, and people’s future. The United States relies on a complex system of government, where the national government is central but state and local governments utilize control over affairs that are not meant for the federal government. State and local governments have varying degrees of independence in how the organizeRead MoreThe Lexus And The Olive Tree1118 Words   |  5 PagesDistinguishing between liberalism and political economic parts between â€Å"The Lexus and Olive Tree† and the â€Å"Open veins of Latin America† according to these two writers they both distinguish the concept about the future. The two writer view globalization and how it will benefit the countries. Political economics is the branch of knowledge discipline. In the two book c apitalism is the trade and industry that is controlled by private owners for profit as being done so by the countries. The two booksRead MoreReform Movements in the United States Sought to Expand Democratic Ideals. Assess the Validity of This Statement with Specific Reference to the Years 1825 to 1850.1698 Words   |  7 PagesAs Americans entered an era of transition and instability, they sought to expand democratic ideals in the society. In response to sudden changes occurring and traditional values being challenged, various reform movements during 1825-1850 began to focus on democratic ideals. The rise of religious revivals, movements for equal rights and protecting liberties of different social groups, want to advance society technologically, and desire to bring order and control helped reform the society to live upRead MoreThe United States Made History1678 Words   |  7 Pagesoffice (or without any political or military experience) could suddenly secure the highest one in o ur country. But this result has been foreshadowed for decades, and we only heeded the warning signs when it was too late. It wasn t sexism that elected Trump. It wasn t racism that elected Trump. It wasn t homophobia, Islamophobia, a mob of uneducated voters, Nativism, or ignorance. Trump was able to take advantage of a political system that has eroded the power of political parties, and nearly renderedRead MoreThe Progressive Era Of The United States1558 Words   |  7 PagesThe United States is a country that has been built on political, economical and social reform. One revolutionary era in particular that has played a major role in the establishment of new laws and acts which are used today is the Progressive Era. The Progressive Era was an age of political reform during the late 1800’s to early 1920’s, which also contained a lot of social advocacy for workers’ rights. Before the social reforms began in this era, there were numerous instances where poor and immigrant