During the 19th century, the boss system grew, lead by Irish immigrants who spoke English and understood the economic system in the country. Many political bosses were able to prosper because of the Anti-immigrates perspective of a group that called themselves Nativists. In this time, to be an immigrant or be discriminated against it meant you didn't meet the WASP criteria: white, Anglo (English), Saxon (Germanic), and Protestant. Bosses took advantage of the immigrants and marginalized groups by offering to do them favors like getting them work or housing in trade for their votes. In this way, many bosses had large political influence and gained politicians favor by having control over large amounts of votes. Politicians would in turn do bosses favors by letting them know were new developments (railroads often) were being built. Bosses made money by buying land around these new developments and selling it for quadruple what they brought if for. To prevent the mayors of cities from protesting and closing their businesses they gave mayors a kickback. This system was built on corrupted politics and the need for stability from immigrant groups. It lasted as long as it did because the society allowed it. Many people felt like it benefitted them, but bosses only did favors that made them profit. Sanitation and other city needs were ignored and tax payer money went to waste. The young educated middle class were the opposers of this system as they were the ones paying taxes and were often not politicians. They protested and tried to end this system. Do you think the boss system exists in some ways today? Why could it or why could it not exist in today's politics?
I don't really think that there are any direct boss systems in the United States today since the government and many organizations have tried their best to crack down on these issues, however I feel that it could be possible for similar, but much less extreme systems to exist in low-income, urban cities in the US (for example, a rich person could find out that a plot of land is about to increase in value, so they try to convince a group of poor people to leave the area by seemingly overpaying them for the land and then selling it later for more). This is because in general, there are almost always rich individuals who want to do anything to become even more wealthy, and generally abusing the uneducated and impoverished is an easy way for them to do so, since in many situations the government doesn't really care (as long as the system is too small for it to be noticed). So as long as people aren't able to realize that they are being abused in such a system and as long as its too small for organizations or the government to see it, then it will still probably exist even though it's illegal.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the boss system could ever exist to the same scale that it did before, but I think there are many cases in which a similar system exists on small levels. For example, even in social situations, people sometimes take advantage of others naivety when they are a newcomer, such as to a school, a workplace, etc, and convince them that they will be able to help them and manipulate them by doing so.
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