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7.3 POLITICS IN THE GILDED AGE
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AMERICAN HISTORY II04 FEBRUARY 2014MR. HOOD
7.3 POLITICS IN THE GILDED AGE
AMERICAN HISTORY II04 FEBRUARY 2014MR. HOOD`S NOTES
KEY IDEA
LOCAL AND NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRUPTION IN THE 19TH CENTURY
LED TO CALLS FOR REFORM
WHY IT MATTERS NOW
POLITICAL REFORMS PAVED THE WAY FOR A MORE HONEST AND
EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT IN THE 20TH CENTURY AND BEYOND
OBJECTIVE 1EXPLAIN THE ROLE OF
THE POLITICAL MACHINES AND POLITICAL BOSSES
CITIES FACED RAPID GROWTH
UNDER INEFFICIENT GOVERNMENTS
INFLUENCED BY DOG-EAT-DOG
SOCIAL DARWINISM
EMERGENCE OF NEW POLITICAL
STRUCTURE
THE POLITICAL MACHINE
POLITICAL MACHINE: ORGANIZED GROUP THAT CONTROLLED
POLITICAL PARTY
SERVICES OFFERED TO VOTERS +
BUSINESSES
IN EXCHANGE FOR MONEY AND
SUPPORT
POLITICAL MACHINE CONTROLLED
BY A CITY BOSS
CITY BOSS CONTROLLED ACCESS TO JOBS, BUSINESSES, +
LICENSES
EVEN INFLUENCED COURTS
CITY BOSS DRIVEN BY MONEY AND
POWER
CITY BOSS ALSO DRIVEN BY VOTERS`
LOYALTY
HAD TO SOLVING URBAN
PROBLEMS
LIKE BUILDING PARKS, SCHOOLS +
HOSPITALS
+ SUPPORTING
NEW BUSINESSES
BOSS COULD WIN SUPPORT + EXTEND
INFLUENCE
MANY POLITICIANS WERE
IMMIGRANTS
IMMIGRANTS STARTED AT THE
BOTTOM AND WORKED THEIR WAY UP
IMMIGRANT POLITICANS HELPED THEIR OWN +
RECEIVED VOTES
OBJECTIVE 2DESCRIBE HOW SOME
POLITICIANS´ GREED AND FRAUD COST TAXPAYERS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
MANY POLITICAL BOSSES FELL VICTIM TO CORRUPTION
WHEN LOYALTY OF
VOTERS WAS NOT ENOUGH
SOME POLITICAL
MACHINES TURNED TO FRAUD
CREATED FAKE VOTERS TO WIN
ELECTIONS
BOSSES TURNED TO GRAFT
GRAFT: ILLEGAL USE OF POLITICAL INFLUENCE FOR
PERSONAL GAIN
FOR EXAMPLE, HELPING PEOPLE
FIND WORK
OR KICK-BACKSILLEGAL PAYMENTS FOR
SERVICES
FAVORS FOR CASH, BRIBES
+ SHADY DEALINGS
EASY AS POLICE RARELY
INTERFERED
POLICE HIRED AND FIRED BY POLITICAL
BOSS
POLITICANS SOON EXPOSED PUBLIC WAS
OUTRAGED
POLITICAL CORRUPTION BECAME A
NATIONAL ISSUE
OBJECTIVE 3DESCRIBE THE
MEASURES TAKEN TO REFORM THE SPOILS
SYSTEM
DESIRE FOR POWER + MONEY IN
CITIES
ALSO INFECTED NATIONAL POLITICS
PATRONAGE A PROBLEM
PATRONAGE : GIVING GOVERNMENT JOBS TO THOSE WHO HELPED IN AN
ELECTION
ALSO KNOWN AS THE SPOILS
SYSTEM
BUT MANY EMPLOYEES NOT
QUALIFIED
REFORMERS PUSHED FOR A
MERIT SYSTEM
JOBS IN THE CIVIL SERVICE
OR GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION
SHOULD BE FOR THE MOST QUALIFIED
PERSONS
PRESIDENT RUTHERFORD B.
HAYES PUSHED FOR REFORM
PRESIDENT JAMES A. GARFIELD
ALSO PUSHED FOR REFORM
REFORM BREAKTHROUGH MADE BY
PRESIDENT CHESTER A. ARTHUR
PENDLETON CIVIL SERVICE ACT 1883
JOBS GIVEN ON MERIT
OBJECTIVE 4DESCRIBE THE
MEASURES TAKEN TO REFORM THE SPOILS
SYSTEM AND CORRUPTION
EMPLOYEES NO LONGER SOURCE OF CAMPAIGN
CONTRIBUTIONS
POLITICIANS TURNED TO
WEALTHY BUSINESS OWNERS INSTEAD
ALLIANCE BETWEEN GOVERNMENT + BIG BUSINESS STRONGER THAN
EVER
BUT BIG BUSINESSES EXPECTED FAVORS IN RETURN
FOR SUPPORT
PRESIDENT GROVER CLEVELAND LOST BIG BUSINESS SUPPORT
PRESIDENT BENJAMIN HARRIS
GAINED BIG BUSINESS SUPPORT
IN EASY WORDS, CAMPAIGNS WON + LOST
THANKS TO BIG BUSINESS