Local Politics of the Gilded Age- The political machine

1. Local Politics of the Gilded Age-The political machine Mario Lozano, Chase Meiron, BryPfolsgrof, Amanda Szeztaye, Ariana Lewandowski, Corina Thomas, Katlyn Cocks, Jessica Deyoung, MattewKripp, (Amber)Mason Brady, Robert Corso

2. The Gilded Age • The Gilded age was a time period in the late 1800’s, which was an overall time of prosperity for the country in terms of technological advancement • It was a time of extreme poverty for the lower class • On a local scale, many large companies used their economic and social influence to gain, and later abuse, political influence

3. Political Machines • A political machine was an unofficial organization that was designed to keep political sway • Designed to influence popular vote in their favor • Used corrupt methods to gain and retain their government jobs • Party boss-The political leader of a political machine; gained the political sway, and these were those elected to positions of power • One of the most famous party bosses was William Marcy Tweed (Boss Tweed) • Controlled Tammany Hall, the political club of New York’s Democratic party

4. Benefits of a political machine • Many politicians used their political influence in corrupt ways • A political machine gave many benefits to the politicians inside the system and those that controlled it • Political machines during the Gilded Age were ways of controlling and abusing government offices, and effectively robbed the public • Many of the methods used by political machines to gain profit were illegal • These illegal profits were used to keep the party in power; the profits from Tammany hall were used to keep Tweed and the Democrats in power

5. Methods of corruption • Immigrants were taken advantage of because of poor education • Controlled public jobs • Kickbacks for those that voted in their favor • Grafts • Many party bosses used grafting to take money from public treasuries • Fake expenses on construction projects and other general public contracting were a popular graft • Tweed used this frequently • Raised property taxes on those who opposed them • Bribery was used to persuade people to vote, usually with jobs

6. Effects of political machine • Gave a small, wealthy group of people power • Made the rich richer • Robbed money from the general public • Taken from tax dollars and local treasuries • Twisted the arms of voters in order to vote for them • Took things out of context to gain support • Used methods listed • Created slums • Depressed the economy of cities • Larger economic differences between rich and poor