2. Political Machines

3. Definition of a Political Machine A.Machine politics: manipulation of incentives for partisan advantage: 1.Favoritism 2.A form of clientele politics (clientelism): 3.The practices of machine politics: attracting and directing members through particular incentives: –The incentives are financial, psychological, material, solidarity –They are NOT programmatic or ideological

4. The political machine as an organization: A.A disciplined hierarchy led by a single executive B.Purpose: capture political office and governing power (in order to control patronage resources) C.The major lever through which the machine operates is by controlling: 1.the nomination of candidates to office 2.the resources required to compete politically.

5. D.The organization is cemented by non- ideological & non policy goals: 1.material rewards: jobs, contracts, investments. 2.personal recognition, camaraderie, or ethnic loyalty. E.Mexico’s political system in the 1980s, a one party system maintained through the control of jobs, resources, and through electoral corruption.

6. Relevance of the Political Machine and Urban Conflict A.Resolved conflicts (class and ethnic) during the nineteenth and much of the twentieth century. B. This is both good and bad. GOOD: Prevent bloodshed (Gangs of New York) and the nation being ripped apart during a time when the nation was undergoing massive social and demographic change. BAD: but was a conservative force, that prevented more aggressive class action for equality and a better standard of living

7. C.It spanned over a 100 years of our political history D.The current structure of many cities is a response to the Political Machine (non- partisan elections, at-large representation). E. Which will lead us to next week’s lecture on the reform movement

8. The conditions that gave rise to the political machine A.Massive increase in urbanization

9. 1.Immigration: 1840 to 1896 2.This generated massive strain on the economic & political institutions. 3.New demands and public sector needs of government: a.Language problems. b.Job training. c.Massive concentrations of social maladies. d.Regulating the competition among the different groups

10. B.Urban dweller were dependent populations with great needs 1.Were poor and mainly of agricultural backgrounds. 2.The conditions of living were hazardous. C.Universal suffrage for males - meant that populations had votes to trade in for services and aid.

11. D. Fragmented nature of city government and weakness of administrative machinery. Couldn’t provide the services demanded. E. Hence, urban unrest caused the political environment to adapt in order to maintain stability, manage conflict [systems theory] = centralized power (similar to 1788)

12. The Decline of the Machine By 1890 Political Machines controlled 1/2 the nation’s 20 largest cities. (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Philly, Pitt, Cincinnati, SF, St. Louis, Jersey City, Buffalo, Albany) But this did not last…

13. Reasons for the Decline A.The end of immigration B.The New deal and the rise of the welfare state? C.Public Education – other sources of information. D.A diminishment of racial and ethnic cohesion E.the machine was seen as a threat to particular classes, particularly the WASP

14. F.This led to the hostility and antagonism of the reformist ethos. G.Civil service reform limited their supply of patronage jobs. Pendelton Act 1883 H. 1950-1985 – cutbacks in the welfare state galvanized blacks and threatened the remaining machines. I.Middle class voters demanded lower taxes

15. Miller’s Crossing or “To Hold your district: Study Human Nature and Act Accordin’”

16. Human Nature? Constituents are self-interested – don’t care about political arguments Similar to other arguments made in more modern political science (i.e., Fenno’s Home Style; Constituency service

17. “The poor are the most grateful people in the world, and, let me tell you, they have more friends in their neighborhoods than the rich have in theirs”