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political machine
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"The Curious Effect of Clean Linen" William Magear Tweed
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"The Curious Effect of Clean Linen" "The Curious Effect of Clean Linen," political cartoon by Thomas Nast for Harper's Weekly, October 14, 1882. Nast cartoon picturing a Tammany Hall Tiger hampered by Grover Cleveland's uncompromising honesty and independence from political bosses.

political machine

politics
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political machine, in U.S. politics, a party organization, headed by a single boss or small autocratic group, that commands enough votes to maintain political and administrative control of a city, county, or state. The rapid growth of American cities in the 19th century, a result of both immigration and migration from rural areas, created huge problems for city governments, which were often poorly structured and unable to provide services. In those conditions, political machines—such as...

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