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Plunkitt of Tammany Hall
This classic work offers the unblushing, unvarnished wit and wisdom of one of the most fascinating figures ever to play the American political game and win. George Washington Plunkitt rose from impoverished beginnings to become ward boss of the Fifteenth Assembly District in New York, a key player in the powerhouse political team of Tammany Hall, and a millionaire. In a series of utterly frank talks given at his headquarters at Graziano's bootblack stand inside the New York County Court House, he revealed to a sharp-eared and sympathetic reporter named William L. Riordon the secrets of political success as practiced and perfected by Tammany Hall titans. The result is not only a volume that reveals more about our political system than does a shelf load of civics textbooks, but also an irresistible portrait of a man who would feel happily at home playing ball with today's lobbyists and kingmakers, trading votes for political and financial favors. Doing for twentieth-century America what Machiavelli did for Renaissance Italy, and as entertaining as it is instructive, Plunkitt of Tammany Hall is essential reading for those who prefer twenty-twenty vision to rose-colored glasses in viewing how our government works and why.
128 pages, ebook
Published November 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 23, 2021
This century-old book is a quick, pleasant read. It's a positive view of the Tammany Hall machine in New York City from a senior insider.The source purports to "tell all", but on reflection one suspects there are some subjects he avoided.
The source is "folksy", but doesn't overdo it on the dialect. While not exactly anti-intellectual, he emphasizes that a college education is not only not needed but in fact a downright handicap for a politician.
Be sure to get a physical facsimile copy; most copies that are OCRed then re-typeset, and electronic (Kindle, etc.) copies, contain so many typos that they can be hard to read.
It's a view into a political system we don't have any more. In return for votes, politicians took care of everyone in the neighborhood, including those who couldn't vote but likely had a relative or neighbor who could. A favorite place for a politician to show up (besides weddings and funerals) was a house-fire. They could -and did- deliver immediate aid (clothes, a place to stay temporarily, a little cash, etc.). And what kept the political wheels turning was patronage: immediately upon election letting go nearly the entire workforce and hiring all the neighborhood votes instead. There was no "system", no "guarantee" the city would in effect act like an insurance company; one just voted for the right guy then took their chances, which in fact were awfully good.
The paternal system is reminiscent of that in the movie "The Godfather", except without the killing.
The source rails against civil service, because it cut patronage way back, and eventually killed this entire political system. (Nowadays jobs are so specialized that the patronage sort of mass firing and hiring wouldn't work even without civil service.) He also rails against primary elections, arguing that the "boss" (smoke-filled room) system was way more efficient, as it eliminated much of the infighting and crossed priorities.
The source makes a particularly interesting distinction between "honest graft" and "dishonest graft". He feels politicians are fully justified in getting rich, but shouldn't ever outright steal or greatly harm an identifiable individual.
There is also some commentary on the uneasy relation between New York State and New York City, with the state routinely taking advantage of the city.
The source is "folksy", but doesn't overdo it on the dialect. While not exactly anti-intellectual, he emphasizes that a college education is not only not needed but in fact a downright handicap for a politician.
Be sure to get a physical facsimile copy; most copies that are OCRed then re-typeset, and electronic (Kindle, etc.) copies, contain so many typos that they can be hard to read.
It's a view into a political system we don't have any more. In return for votes, politicians took care of everyone in the neighborhood, including those who couldn't vote but likely had a relative or neighbor who could. A favorite place for a politician to show up (besides weddings and funerals) was a house-fire. They could -and did- deliver immediate aid (clothes, a place to stay temporarily, a little cash, etc.). And what kept the political wheels turning was patronage: immediately upon election letting go nearly the entire workforce and hiring all the neighborhood votes instead. There was no "system", no "guarantee" the city would in effect act like an insurance company; one just voted for the right guy then took their chances, which in fact were awfully good.
The paternal system is reminiscent of that in the movie "The Godfather", except without the killing.
The source rails against civil service, because it cut patronage way back, and eventually killed this entire political system. (Nowadays jobs are so specialized that the patronage sort of mass firing and hiring wouldn't work even without civil service.) He also rails against primary elections, arguing that the "boss" (smoke-filled room) system was way more efficient, as it eliminated much of the infighting and crossed priorities.
The source makes a particularly interesting distinction between "honest graft" and "dishonest graft". He feels politicians are fully justified in getting rich, but shouldn't ever outright steal or greatly harm an identifiable individual.
There is also some commentary on the uneasy relation between New York State and New York City, with the state routinely taking advantage of the city.
March 28, 2025
For class—Plunkitt (a Tammany Hall boss) is wonderfully charismatic and makes the corruption seem virtuous. Fascinating read.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews