Political Machines Corrupt

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The political machine is an informal group designed to gain and keep power. It initially came about because cities had grown faster than their governments. Machines dominated political life in most American cities. Political machines and their party bosses aided new city dwellers that needed jobs, housing, food, heat, and police protection. Party bosses provided these necessities in exchange for votes. The party bosses also had control of the city’s finances and city’s services including the police. The machines were organized like a pyramid. The local precinct workers and captains are at the bottom, ward bosses are in the middle, and the city boss is at the top. The party boss had control of jobs, business licenses, and could influence the court system. The precinct captains and ward bosses helped new immigrants assimilate.
In my opinion, I support political machines as they helped immigrants become stable.
Opponents of the political machine blasted party bosses for the corruption of electoral politics. They grew rich through fraud or graft, getting money through dishonest or questionable means. By winning elections, they made themselves richer and could easily finance the operations of their political machines. They abused their power by paying for votes. Roscoe Conkling, a Republican …show more content…
Both sides have valid arguments in what they believe is right. Opponents of the political machine argue that party bosses gain riches by paying for votes and practicing electoral fraud. Supporters believe the political machines aided immigrants with housing, jobs, food, and other necessities in exchange for a vote. As immigrants received help from political machines, they were also granted citizenship so they could cast their vote for party bosses. Personally, I support political machines only because they helped new city dwellers when no one else could. To conclude, this is the significance of political machines during the mid
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