Did Political machines have a positive or negative effect on America?

Answer 1

Political Machines developed in cities are were run by men who were "professional" politicians in the sense that the purpose of the machine was to keep "friends" in office and to povide the needed votes to "elect" those friends. The leader of the machine did not have to be an elected official. Most were not. The purpose was to increase the profit of the machine by the use of graft, bribes, threats, and election fixing. As one investigator into machines said, the machine was always working for its pockets. Machines got the officials to grant the machine kickbacks, grants, contracts for city work. . .all at exorbitant prices. The Tweed Ring in New York, for example, charged the city $179,000 for four tables and forty chairs. The most interesting item was "Brooms, ect." for $41,190.95!! Many machine members got city jobs that did not exist and machine party member names were listed on the city payroll lists and paid out of taxpayer money. Machines contributed nothing to the economic health and safety of the city, but cost the taxpayers millions of dollars.

Answer 2

A political machine is a party organization that uses money, political jobs, and the opportunity to get favors from the government as a way to recruit members. The bosses of the machines have almost complete control over the members and can “deliver the vote” as promised, in return for favors. In the beginning, machines were like political clubs made up of members who voted the straight party ticket, usually Democrats. The machines recruited immigrants and did provide some help for newly arrived immigrants, helping them get jobs, settled in apartments, and then signing them up to become voters to vote the way the machine dictated. The machines became a vast welfare organization for the immigrants. Political machines handed out local, state, and federal jobs to its members. They pressured local governments to award huge contracts to the machines, padding the bill so that the machine would reap huge profits. The abuses of the machines were eventually limited. The Hatch Act of 1939 made it illegal for a federal civil service employee to take an active part in political campaigns or management of a political party. They were limited to voting and making personal contributions to campaigns. Machines did provide the vote but they also registered more people than probably would have registered on their own. The machines was the supreme measure of political organization. They would often support a presidential candidate on the basis of whether he could win or not, not on his policies or ideas for the executive office. Republican machines helped elect Abe Lincoln as well as Warren G. Harding. Democratic machines helped elect FDR and JFK.

Answer 3

Unqualified people were elected or put into government positions.

Answer 4

they get work done faster