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As industrialization caused cites to grow in leaps and bounds, political
bosses started to take power. As the 19th Century came to a close, almost every
sizable city had a political boss, or at least had one rising to power. Tons of
immigrants from every part of the world began to pour into the major cities.
Cities have had diversity in the past, but the huge diversity of the American
cities was unique.
The only thing the new immigrants had in common with each
other was the dream of becoming rich and the poverty of their current state.
Unfortunately, so many different people with so little in common often left
tension between different groups on the edge of becoming violent outbreaks. The
famous Tammany set the example early on of how to broaden it's own appeal to
people of all races and ethnic groups.
Not long after, the other bosses did the
same. The bosses did much to clean up some neighbors and prevent violence, but
of course it always had the ulterior motive of securing votes for their own
power. Their corruption often lead to their downfall, such as William Tweed, who
died in 1878, penniless and imprisoned. On of the main power gaining tools for
the bosses was the ability to give employment to people.
The people would sign
onto these payrolls even when padded, since any employment was better than no
employment. Another platform was the sale and regulation of liquor. Though
becoming somewhat unpopular among some Americans, Europeans were appealed by the
bosses' support of liquor.
Also appealed were many middle class members of
society who, though not needing financial aid, did enjoy the consumption of
alcoholic beverages. Many businesses also were dependent on the local government
cooperating with their operation and expansion. This expansion also attracted
more people to the city, thus they fed and grew off each other, expansion of
business and population.
The boom in population meant that the city had to
accommodate the new people and the services they needed. Yet history repeats
itself, as greed and conventional thinking prevent the institution of social
services that could have met the new needs and the governments began to loose
control.
The men who rose to power as the boss of their city were more than
often a common man at birth who immigrated and seized the opportunity presented
by industrialized cities. The bosses no longer exist today since public
education has made for the smarter voter. Few immigrants with nothing to loose
and everything to gain also contributed to the demise of the bosses. In the end,
the bosses brought about the new style of municipal government, which still
works today.
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