Analysis: The Shame Of Cities Vs. Honest Dishonest

The Shame of Cities vs Honest Graft: The Location of Corruption The turn of the 19th century brought on a series of changes to various aspects of American life. The rise of industrial power drove national immigration and internal migration of rural farm families to growing American cities. The face of cities began to change from pure commerce to the hub of industrial power, business, and political dominance. With the rapid growth of the nation from all angles, however, the political situation of the country began to struggle under the the changing face of the nation. The rise of political machines, such as New York’s Tammany Hall, began to dominate city elections, politics, and the way of life for individuals. With the population swelling, competition for political power, wealth, and corporate control grew—causing an increase in dishonest methods of achieving power. Fighting to find the source of an increasing gap between the rich and the poor, muckrakers, or investigative journalists who worked to expose political scandals, …show more content…
In his “The Shame of Cities” muckraker Lincoln Steffens takes a unique stance in unearthing political corruption in American cities, and in response, Tammany Hall leader George Washington Plunkitt explains the honesty of Tammany leaders in their pursuits of wealth