Political Machines and Solutions to Corruption Chapter 7 sec. 3+4 © Shawn McCusker.

Political MachinesPolitical Machinesand and

Solutions to CorruptionSolutions to Corruption

Chapter 7 sec. 3+4

© Shawn McCusker

Political Machines• Fixing the problems of cities

requires huge sums of money.

• Without proper management that money can be misused.

• Controlling the money becomes an important part of city politics.

Political Machines

• As cities grew larger the men who ran them became more powerful.

City BossCity Boss

Ward BossesWard Bosses

Precinct CaptainsPrecinct Captains

Precinct CaptainsPrecinct Captains & &

Ward BossesWard Bosses• Give jobs to people who promise

support.

• Do favors in order to win support. “You can owe me one.”

• Give contracts to people in order to win support.

• Make sure people get out and vote.

City Boss• Controlled jobs

– Police, fire etc.

• Controlled contracts and licenses

• Gave away money. Why?

• Embraced ethnic groups. Why?

• Used his influence to get candidates elected.

This leads to …SCANDALSCANDAL

• Election fraud

• Bribes– Paid by people who want to be elected.– Needed to get contracts or jobs.

• Kickbacks– Used to steal tax money.

• And it was easy to do because no one was looking

Solutions Solutions to to

CorruptionCorruption

Patronage

• Def: when elected officials or political organizations give out jobs to people who support them in getting elected.

• Often given to unqualified people.

• Led to incompetence and fraud.

Solution = Create a Merit System

• Civil Service System=– Jobs go to qualified individuals only.– They keep those jobs so long as they

perform well.

• Used tests to determine qualification.– Postal workers, government employees

Reformers of Civil Service.

• Rutherford P. Hayes- – Hired independents for key positions– Fired workers who did not produce.– Investigated customs houses and fired

corrupt workers.

• Followed by Garfield who died.• Then Chester A. Arthur who fought

for…

The Pendleton Act 1883

• Created a Civil Service commission.– Gave jobs to qualified people.– 40% of government jobs by 1909.