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Political boss

 
Political Boss

 
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Political boss
 
 
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A boss, in politics
Political science

Political science is a social science concerned with the theory and practice of politics and the description and analysis of political systems and political behavior....
, is a person who wields de facto
De facto

De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning the fact" or in practice but not necessarily ordained by law. It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or technique that are found in the common experience as created or developed without or contrary to a regulation....
 power over a particular political region or constituency
Constituency

A constituency is any cohesive body of people bound by shared identity, goals, or loyalty. Constituency can be used to describe a business's customer base and shareholders, or a charity's donors or those it serves....
. Bosses may dictate voting
Voting

Voting is a method for a Group such as a meeting or an Constituency to decision making or express an opinion ? often following discussions, debates or election campaigns....
 patterns, control appointment
Appointment

Appointment may refer to a number of things, including the following:*An appointment is a time reserved for something such as a Physician visit, much like a reservation....
s, and wield considerable influence in other political processes. They do not necessarily hold public office themselves. In fact, most historical bosses did not.

Bosses were a major part of the political landscape during the 19th and early 20th centuries in the United States.






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Boss Tweed
A boss, in politics
Political science

Political science is a social science concerned with the theory and practice of politics and the description and analysis of political systems and political behavior....
, is a person who wields de facto
De facto

De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning the fact" or in practice but not necessarily ordained by law. It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or technique that are found in the common experience as created or developed without or contrary to a regulation....
 power over a particular political region or constituency
Constituency

A constituency is any cohesive body of people bound by shared identity, goals, or loyalty. Constituency can be used to describe a business's customer base and shareholders, or a charity's donors or those it serves....
. Bosses may dictate voting
Voting

Voting is a method for a Group such as a meeting or an Constituency to decision making or express an opinion ? often following discussions, debates or election campaigns....
 patterns, control appointment
Appointment

Appointment may refer to a number of things, including the following:*An appointment is a time reserved for something such as a Physician visit, much like a reservation....
s, and wield considerable influence in other political processes. They do not necessarily hold public office themselves. In fact, most historical bosses did not.

Bosses were a major part of the political landscape during the 19th and early 20th centuries in the United States. One of the most powerful of these was James A. Farley who was the chief dispenser of Democratic Party patronage during Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt

Franklin Delano Roosevelt , often referred to by his initials FDR, was the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States....
's New Deal
New Deal

The New Deal was the name that United States President of the United States Franklin D. Roosevelt gave to a sequence of central economic planning and economic stimulus programs he initiated between 1933 and 1938 with the goal of giving aid to the unemployed, reform of business and financial practices, and recovery of the Economy of the Unite...
 administration. Farley parleyed his position as Democratic National Committee boss into a run for the Democratic nomination for President in 1940. Farley had only been elected to public office once, which was to the New York State Assembly, an office he held for only one year, 1922-23. In the South, charismatic populist
Populism

Populism is a discourse which supports "the people" versus "the elites." Populism may involve either a philosophy urging social and political system changes and/or a rhetorical style deployed by members of political or social movements competing for advantage within the existing party system....
 politicians like Huey Long
Huey Long

Huey Pierce Long, Jr. , nicknamed The Kingfish, was an United States politician from the U.S. state of Louisiana. A Democratic Party , he was noted for his Radicalism populism policies....
 commanded large networks of supporters. Similar practices existed in the northern cities, particularly New York City
New York City

The City of New York is the List of United States cities by population in the United States, while the New York metropolitan area ranks among the List of urban areas by population....
, where Boss Tweed
Boss Tweed

William Marcy Tweed Jr. , known as "Boss Tweed," was an United States most famous for his leadership of Tammany Hall, the History of the United States Democratic Party political machine that played a major role in the politics of 19th century New York....
 (arguably the most infamous political boss) wielded control over the powerful Democratic political machine
Political machine

A political machine is a disciplined political organization in which an authoritative boss or small group commands the support of a corps of supporters , who receive rewards for their efforts....
. Charles Brayton exercised great influence over the politics of turn-of-the-century Rhode Island
Rhode Island

Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a U.S. state in the New England region of the United States....
, and is an example of bossism within the Republican Party. Analogues could be found in most other urban
Urban area

An urban area is an area with an increased Population density of human-created structures in comparison to the areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be city, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlet ....
 settings, e.g., the Chicago Democratic Machine and the political racket of E. H. Crump
E. H. Crump

Edward Hull "Boss" Crump was a Memphis, Tennessee insurance broker, businessman, and Politics figure in the early 20th century....
 in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis is a city in the southwest corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County, Tennessee. Memphis rises above the Mississippi River on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff just south of the mouth of the Wolf River ....
.

Bossism
Bossism

Bossism, in the history of the United States , is a system of political control centering about a single powerful figure and a complex organization of lesser figures bound together by reciprocity in promoting financial and social self-interest....
 is generally associated with corruption
Political corruption

Political corruption is the use of governmental powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption....
 and organized crime
Organized crime

Organized crime or criminal organizations comprise groups or operations run by crimes, most commonly for the purpose of generating a money profit....
 and has often been regarded as subversive to the democratic process. Nevertheless, it has been common practice since the Roman Republic
Roman Republic

The Roman Republic was the phase of the Ancient Rome characterized by a republican form of government; a period which began with the overthrow of the Roman Roman Kingdom, c....
, and remains fairly widespread today, particularly in undeveloped nations. An element of bossism remains in most political environments, albeit arguably to a far lesser extent than it once did.

See also

  • Bossism
    Bossism

    Bossism, in the history of the United States , is a system of political control centering about a single powerful figure and a complex organization of lesser figures bound together by reciprocity in promoting financial and social self-interest....
  • Cacique
    Cacique

    Cacique or Cazique from the ta?no word for the pre-Columbian tribal Tribal chief, of the Taino tribes in the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles....
  • Corporatism
    Corporatism

    Corporatism is a political culture in which adherents believe that the basic unit of the society is some corporate group, rather than the individual....
  • Crony capitalism
    Crony capitalism

    Crony capitalism is a pejorative term describing an allegedly capitalism economy in which success in business depends on close relationships between businesspeople and government officials....
  • Political machine
    Political machine

    A political machine is a disciplined political organization in which an authoritative boss or small group commands the support of a corps of supporters , who receive rewards for their efforts....