Political Party Machines and Immigration in 19th Century America After a bitterly contested Revolution ended in the liberation of England's former colonies, the fledgling American nation embarked on the precarious path towards a style of democratic governance that had never been enacted on so large a scale. While the latter part of the 18th century was defined by political idealism, as exemplified by contributions made by our nation's Founding Fathers, the 19th century soon gave rise to an insidious process of power consolidation and voter exploitation. The egalitarian political parties envisioned during the heady days of American Independence devolved into institutional party machines, typified by widespread corruption, fraudulent activities, autocratic rule, and a blatant disregard for the foundational importance of democracy. The most effective political party machines during the 19th century were ran ruthlessly by so-called "bosses," or political titans who maintained control over their jurisdiction through a combination of allegiances within business community, loyalty from elected officials, and outright intimidation of opponents. Infamous party machines such as New York City's Tammany Hall and the Cook County Democratic Organization in Chicago emerged, promising to fill the power vacuum created by the accelerating pace of industrialization, and the seemingly continuous flow of European immigration needed to fuel America's roaring...
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