APUSH+-+Gilded+Age+Politics+-+Machines+and+Populism

Gilded Age Politics: Overview

Focus on the Gilded Age, particularly regarding political machines and populism.

Laissez-Faire & Machine Politics: Combination of selective regulation of industry and political corruption led to government dissatisfaction.
The People’s Party: Led by firebrands to create a party of the people, pushing for government action.
The Gold Standard: Another element contributing to dissatisfaction; explores monetary policy.

Government Role: The government maintained a hands-off approach but was involved in economic initiatives.
- Examples:
  - Railroad subsidies to private companies.
  - High tariffs raising prices on foreign goods.
  - Homestead Act encouraged farming.
  - National Banking Acts forced banks to buy bonds aimed at wealthy.
  - Supreme Court restricted state regulation of businesses.
  - Creation of the US National Guard post-Great Railroad Strike of 1877.

Government Influence: Urban political machines grew due to the infrastructure provided by private developers.
Political Machine Functionality:
- Linked private business to government, controlling public offices.
- Provided jobs and services to the urban poor.
Motivations for Machines:
- Votes, kickbacks, patronage opportunities for political machine leaders.
- Limited services caused poor people to rely on machines.
Challenges: Machines struggled with city growth and economic downturns, leading to reform movements.

Influence in NYC:
- Founded in 1786, became an Irish-run machine focusing on immigrants and business interests.
- Boss Tweed utilized bribes and naturalization committees to secure power.
- Thomas Nast's cartoons exposed Tweed, resulting in his arrest in 1872.

Concept of Honest Graft: Distinguishes between honest and dishonest graft, claims to profit from political knowledge and opportunities, justifying personal gain through public infrastructure developments.

Monetary Policy Conflicts:
- Congress adopted the gold standard in 1873, limiting money supply.
- Farmers and workers opposed it, pushing for more “greenback dollars” to stimulate the economy and create jobs.
Protective Tariffs:
- Tariffs raised consumer prices, benefitting manufacturers while negatively affecting the working class.

Characteristics of Gilded Age Politics:
- Close and highly partisan elections characterized post-Reconstruction politics.
- Control of House and Senate changed frequently.
Emergence of the People’s Party:
- Created from Farmers' Alliance and Knights of Labor to represent populist interests.
- Promoted public ownership of railroads, federal income tax on the rich, and looser monetary policy.
- The Omaha Platform set political demands for reform.
William Jennings Bryan’s Nomination in 1896:
- Aimed to garner support from the working class; faced off against McKinley, advocating against the gold standard and for the masses.
- Divided Democratic Party, resulting in McKinley's victory.

Presidents During the Gilded Age: Key figures include Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James Garfield, Chester A. Arthur, Grover Cleveland, Benjamin Harrison, and William McKinley.