Political boss
In politics, a boss is a person who controls a faction or local branch of a political party. They do not necessarily hold public office themselves; most historical bosses did not, at least during the times of their greatest influence. Numerous officeholders in that unit are subordinate to the single boss in party affairs. Bosses may base their power on the support of numerous voters, usually organized voting blocs, and manage a coalition of these blocs and various other stakeholders. When the party wins, they typically control appointments in their unit, and have a voice at the higher levels.
Reformers typically allege that political bosses are
History
The appearance of bosses has been common since the
In the
Political bosses exist today.
In popular culture
Boss Jim W. Gettys, portrayed by Ray Collins, is a secondary character in Citizen Kane and Charles Foster Kane's political rival for the post of Governor of New York.
The television series The Dukes of Hazzard (1979–1985) featured a character named Boss Hogg, played by Sorrell Booke.
Boss Tweed was portrayed by
The
Notable individuals
In the United States
- Marion Barry (1936–2014)
- Bob Brady (b. 1945)
- Boss Cox (1853–1916)
- Richard Croker (1843–1922)
- Boss Crump (1874–1954)
- Richard J. Daley (1902–1976)
- Tom Dennison (1858–1934)
- Carmine DeSapio (1908–2004)
- Johnny Dougherty (b. 1960)
- Meade Esposito (1907–1993)
- M. Harvey Taylor (1876–1982)
- James A. Farley(1888–1976)
- Frank Hague (1876–1956)
- William King Hale (1874–1962)
- Boss Hesing(1823–1895)
- William J. Jefferson(b. 1947)
- Enoch L. Johnson (1883–1968)
- Huey Long (1893–1935)
- Joseph M. Margiotta (1927–2008)
- John J. McClure (1886–1965)
- Michael Cassius McDonald (1839 – 1907)
- Alexander McKenzie (politician) (1851–1922)
- Hugh McLaughlin (1827–1904)
- George Norcross (b. 1956)
- Daniel P. O'Connell (1885–1977)
- Tom Pendergast (1873–1945)
- Frank Rizzo (1920–1991)
- Alexander Robey Shepherd (1835–1902)
- D. C. Stephenson (1891–1966)
- John F. Street (b. 1943)
- Donald J. Trump (b. 1946)
- Boss Tweed (1823–1878)
- William Scott Vare (1867–1934)
- John S. Williams (1835–1887)
In the United Kingdom
- Archibald Salvidge (1863–1928)
See also
References
- ^ Robert Kern, The caciques: oligarchical politics and the system of caciquismo in the Luso-Hispanic world. Albuquerque, University of New Mexico Press [1973]
- ^ I ras del voto "personale" che ondeggiano tra gli schieramenti
- ^ John D. Buenker, "The Politics of Resistance: The Rural-Based Yankee Republican Machines of Connecticut and Rhode Island". New England Quarterly (1974): 212–237.
- ^ Lloyd Wendt, and Herman Kogan, Lords of the Levee: The story of Bathhouse John and Hinky Dink (1944).
- ^ Douglas Bukowski, Big Bill Thompson, Chicago, and the politics of image (1998).
- Boss: Richard J. Daley of Chicago(1971)
- ^ G. Wayne Dowdy, Mayor Crump Don't Like It: Machine Politics in Memphis (Univ. Press of Mississippi, 2006)
- ^ Mark S. Foster, "Frank Hague of Jersey City: 'The boss' as reformer." New Jersey History 86#2 (1968): 106–117.
- ^ Hutchins, Ryan (2019-05-21). "Governor's feud with party boss rocks New Jersey politics". Politico. Retrieved 2023-03-04.
- ^ Stephanie Muravchik and Jon A. Shields, The Other Democratic Party, The Bulwark, October 4, 2020
- ^ Goldmacher, Shane (April 17, 2022). "Mar-a-Lago Machine: Trump as a Modern-Day Party Boss". The New York Times.
- ^ Ebert, Roger (2002-12-20). "Gangs of New York". suntimes.com. Archived from the original on 2013-03-23. Retrieved 2009-05-17.
Further reading
- Allswang, John M. Bosses, machines, and urban voters (JHU Press, 2019) online.
- Banfield, Edward C. and J. Q. Wilson, City Politics (1963, repr. 1966)
- Colburn, David R., and George E. Pozzetta. "Bosses and machines: Changing interpretations in American history." History Teacher 9.3 (1976): 445–463. online
- Connolly, James J. An Elusive Unity: Urban Democracy and Machine Politics in Industrializing America (Cornell UP, 2010),
- Cornwell Jr, Elmer E. "Bosses, machines, and ethnic groups." The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 353.1 (1964): 27–39. online
- Dorsett, Lyle W. "Kansas City Politics: A Study of Boss Pendergast's Machine." Arizona and the West 8.2 (1966): 107-118. online
- Foster, Mark S. "Frank Hague of Jersey City: 'The boss' as reformer." New Jersey History 86#2 (1968): 106–117.
- Gosnell, Harold F. Machine Politics (1937, repr. 1968), on Chicago
- Lessoff, Alan, and James J. Connolly. "From political insult to political theory: The boss, the machine, and the pluralist city." Journal of Policy History 25.2 (2013): 139–172. online
- Luconi, Stefano. "The Machine Boss as a Symbolic Leader." Oral History Review 26.1 (1999): 45-66. online
- McCaffery, Peter. When Bosses Ruled Philadelphia: The Emergence of the Republican Machine, 1867-1933 (Penn State Press, 2010) online.
- Miller, Zane, and Scott Greer. "Bosses, machines, and the urban political process." in Ethnics, machines, and the American urban future (1981): 51-84.
- Trounstine, Jessica. Political monopolies in American cities: The rise and fall of bosses and reformers (University of Chicago Press, 2009).
- Walsh, James P. "Abe Ruef Was No Boss: Machine Politics, Reform, and San Francisco." California Historical Quarterly 51.1 (1972): 3-16. online
- Yu, Wang. "“Boss” Robert La Follette and the Paradox of the US Progressive Movement." Journal of American History 108.4 (2022): 726-744. online