Certainly there were redeeming features of boss rule and
urban political machines like Tammany Hall. These redeeming features were mainly seen
by the poor and by immigrants.
The main beneficiaries of
these machines (other than the bosses who got rich and powerful) were the poor
immigrants who made up the mass of voters in American cities in those days. The
immigrants were helped by the political machines. They got help in tangible ways --
they got jobs, welfare payments, and other kinds of help. They were also helped in less
tangible ways. As they became part of the machines, they became less marginalized.
Instead of being powerless immigrants, they came to have some political power. This was
helpful to them as they assimilated into the US and became
Americans.
No comments:
Post a Comment