![Boss tweed](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Boss_tweed.jpg)
In
politics
Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that stud ...
, a boss is a person who controls a faction or local branch of a
political party
A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular country's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific ideological or p ...
. 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
corrupt
Corruption is a form of dishonesty or a criminal offense which is undertaken by a person or an organization which is entrusted in a position of authority, in order to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one's personal gain. Corruption m ...
. This corruption is usually tied to
patronage; the exchange of jobs, lucrative contracts and other political favors for votes, campaign contributions and sometimes outright
bribes.
History
The appearance of bosses has been common since the
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic ( la, Res publica Romana ) was a form of government of Rome and the era of the classical Roman civilization when it was run through public representation of the Roman people. Beginning with the overthrow of the Roman Ki ...
, and remains fairly common or maybe widespread today. In
Spanish America
Spanish America refers to the Spanish territories in the Americas during the Spanish colonization of the Americas. The term "Spanish America" was specifically used during the territories' imperial era between 15th and 19th centuries. To the e ...
,
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
,
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
, and
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
political bosses called ''
caciques
A ''cacique'' (Latin American ; ; feminine form: ''cacica'') was a tribal chieftain of the Taíno people, the indigenous inhabitants at European contact of the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles. The term is a Spa ...
'' hold power in many places; while in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
they are often referred to as ''
ras''. Bosses were a major part of the political landscape during the 19th and early 20th centuries in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, such as the
political machine of
Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was a New York City political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society. It became the main loc ...
, which controlled financing of campaigns and influence via owing of favors to arrange patronage public appointments.
In the
Southern United States
The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, or simply the South) is a geographic and cultural region of the United States of America. It is between the Atlantic Ocean ...
, charismatic
populist
Populism refers to a range of political stances that emphasize the idea of "the people" and often juxtapose this group against " the elite". It is frequently associated with anti-establishment and anti-political sentiment. The term develop ...
politicians like
Huey Long
Huey Pierce Long Jr. (August 30, 1893September 10, 1935), nicknamed "the Kingfish", was an American politician who served as the 40th governor of Louisiana from 1928 to 1932 and as a United States senator from 1932 until his assassination ...
commanded large networks of supporters. Similar practices existed in the northern cities, particularly
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
, where
Boss Tweed (arguably the most infamous political boss) wielded control over the powerful
Democratic political machine. In
Denver
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
, Colorado, during the 1890s
Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith operated as the Republican party boss and political fixer.
Charles Brayton
Charles Ray Brayton (August 16, 1840 – September 23, 1910) was an American politician and lobbyist. A Republican, ''The New York Times'' called him the "Blind Boss of Rhode Island," drawing parallels with New York City's disgraced political bo ...
exercised great influence over the politics of turn of the 20th century
Rhode Island
Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area and the seventh-least populous, with slightly fewer than 1.1 million residents as of 2020, but it ...
. He exemplified rural bossism within the
Republican Party.
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
had numerous colorful bosses, such as Democrats
Hinky Dink and
Bathhouse John. Chicago's Republican counterparts included
Big Bill Thompson
William Hale Thompson (May 14, 1869 – March 19, 1944) was an American politician who served as mayor of Chicago from 1915 to 1923 and again from 1927 to 1931. Known as "Big Bill", Reynolds, Paul (November 29, 2009)"US-UK 'Special Relationship ...
, who became mayor in the 1920s. One of Chicago's most iconic figures was longtime mayor and chairman of the Cook County Democratic Committee
Richard J. Daley
Richard Joseph Daley (May 15, 1902 – December 20, 1976) was an American politician who served as the Mayor of Chicago from 1955 and the chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party Central Committee from 1953 until his death. He has been cal ...
, who had a major voice in state and national Democratic politics. With a few exceptions in the Southwest, such as Phoenix, most large cities of 100,000 or more in the early 20th century had machine organizations, and usually claimed one or more local bosses, most of which were Democrats. Some had a major impact and hold on state politics, such as
E. H. Crump in
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...
. A few bosses had reputations as reformers, such as
Frank Hague
Frank Hague (January 17, 1876 – January 1, 1956) was an American Democratic Party politician who served as the Mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey from 1917 to 1947, Democratic National Committeeman from New Jersey from 1922 until 1949, and Vice ...
of Jersey City.
An October 2020 article in ''
The Bulwark'' argued that
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...
's appeal to white working-class voters in the
2016 United States presidential election
The 2016 United States presidential election was the 58th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. The Republican ticket of businessman Donald Trump and Indiana governor Mike Pence defeated the Democratic ticket ...
was driven by the same kind of paternalistic and localist mentality that was exploited by the Democratic political bosses of the early 20th century. An April 2022 ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' article portrayed him as a modern party boss during
his post-presidency.
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
''The Dukes of Hazzard'' is an American action comedy TV series that was aired on CBS from January 26, 1979 to February 8, 1985. The show aired for 147 episodes spanning seven seasons. It was consistently among the top-rated television serie ...
'' (1979-1985) featured a character named
Boss Hogg
Jefferson Davis "J.D." Hogg, known as Boss Hogg, is a fictional character featured in the American television series ''The Dukes of Hazzard''. He was the commissioner of Hazzard County, and the county's political boss. Boss Hogg almost always wo ...
, played by
Sorrell Booke
Sorrell Booke (January 4, 1930 – February 11, 1994) was an American actor who performed on stage, screen, and television. He acted in more than 100 plays and 150 television shows, and is best known for his role as corrupt politician Jefferson ...
.
Boss Tweed was portrayed by
Philip Bosco
Philip Michael Bosco (September 26, 1930 – December 3, 2018) was an American actor. He was known for his Tony Award-winning performance as Saunders in the 1989 Broadway production of '' Lend Me a Tenor'', and for his starring role in the 2007 f ...
in the 1986
TV movie
A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...
''Liberty'', and by
Jim Broadbent as a major supporting character in the 2002 film ''
Gangs of New York
''Gangs of New York'' is a 2002 American epic historical drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Jay Cocks, Steven Zaillian and Kenneth Lonergan, based on Herbert Asbury's 1927 book '' The Gangs of New York''. The film stars Le ...
''.
Tweed is portrayed as a defender of the rights of minorities and helper of those in need in
Pete Hamill
Pete Hamill (born William Peter Hamill; June 24, 1935August 5, 2020) was an American journalist, novelist, essayist and editor. During his career as a New York City journalist, he was described as "the author of columns that sought to capture th ...
's 2003 novel ''Forever''.
The
HBO television series ''
Boardwalk Empire'' (2010-2014) focuses on
Enoch "Nucky" Thompson
Enoch Malachi "Nucky" Thompson is a fictional character and the protagonist of the HBO TV series '' Boardwalk Empire'', portrayed by Steve Buscemi. Nucky is loosely based on former Atlantic City, New Jersey political figure Enoch Lewis "Nuck ...
(based on the historical
Enoch L. Johnson), a Republican Party boss and gangster who controls
Atlantic City, New Jersey during the
Prohibition period (1920-1933).
Notable individuals
In the United States
*
Marion Barry
Marion Shepilov Barry (born Marion Barry Jr.; March 6, 1936 – November 23, 2014) was an American politician who served as the second and fourth mayor of the District of Columbia from 1979 to 1991 and 1995 to 1999. A Democrat, Barry had served ...
(1936-2014)
*
Bob Brady
Robert A. Brady (born April 7, 1945) is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 1998 to 2019. He was the ranking Democrat and Chairman of the United States House Committee on House Administration from 2007 to 20 ...
(b. 1945)
*
Boss Cox (1853–1916)
*
Richard Croker (1843–1922)
*
Richard J. Daley
Richard Joseph Daley (May 15, 1902 – December 20, 1976) was an American politician who served as the Mayor of Chicago from 1955 and the chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party Central Committee from 1953 until his death. He has been cal ...
(1902–1976)
*
Tom Dennison (1858–1934)
*
Carmine DeSapio
Carmine Gerard DeSapio (December 10, 1908 – July 27, 2004) was an American politician from New York City. He was the last head of the Tammany Hall political machine to dominate municipal politics.
Early life and career
DeSapio was born in ...
(1908–2004)
*
Johnny Dougherty
John J. "Johnny Doc" Dougherty is a prominent labor leader in Philadelphia. As a leader within the Philadelphia organized labor scene, Dougherty is a prominent political figure who helps Democratic candidates get elected by directing donations and ...
(b. 1960)
*
Meade Esposito (1907–1993)
*
M. Harvey Taylor
Maris Harvey Taylor (June 4, 1876 – May 16, 1982), also known as M. Harvey Taylor or Harvey Taylor, was an American politician from Pennsylvania who served as a Republican member of the Pennsylvania Senate for the 15th district from 194 ...
(1876-1982)
*
James A. Farley (1888–1976)
*
Frank Hague
Frank Hague (January 17, 1876 – January 1, 1956) was an American Democratic Party politician who served as the Mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey from 1917 to 1947, Democratic National Committeeman from New Jersey from 1922 until 1949, and Vice ...
(1876–1956)
*
Boss Hesing (1823–1895)
*
William J. Jefferson (b. 1947)
*
Enoch L. Johnson (1883–1968)
*
Huey Long
Huey Pierce Long Jr. (August 30, 1893September 10, 1935), nicknamed "the Kingfish", was an American politician who served as the 40th governor of Louisiana from 1928 to 1932 and as a United States senator from 1932 until his assassination ...
(1893–1935)
*
Joseph M. Margiotta (1927–2008)
*
John J. McClure (1886-1965)
*
Michael Cassius McDonald (1839 – 1907)
*
Alexander McKenzie (politician)
Alexander John McKenzie (1851–1922) was a lawman and politician in early North Dakota. As the Republican national committeeman from North Dakota, he directed a highly successful political machine, and was known as the "senator-maker." He was hig ...
(1851-1922)
*
Hugh McLaughlin (1827–1904)
*
George Norcross (b. 1956)
*
Daniel P. O'Connell (1885-1977)
*
Frank Rizzo
Francis Lazarro Rizzo (October 23, 1920 – July 16, 1991) was an American police officer and politician. He served as Philadelphia police commissioner from 1968 to 1971 and mayor of Philadelphia from 1972 to 1980. He was a member of the Democ ...
(1920-1991)
*
Alexander Robey Shepherd
Alexander Robey Shepherd (January 30, 1835 – September 12, 1902), was one of the most controversial and influential civic leaders in the history of Washington, D.C., and one of the most powerful big-city political bosses of the Gilded Age. He ...
*
John F. Street (b. 1943)
*
Tom Pendergast
Thomas Joseph Pendergast (July 22, 1872 – January 26, 1945), also known as T. J. Pendergast, was an American political boss who controlled Kansas City and Jackson County, Missouri, from 1925 to 1939.
Pendergast only briefly held elected ...
(1873–1945)
* John S. Williams (1835-1887)
*
Boss Tweed (1823–1878)
*
Donald J. Trump (b. 1946)
*
William Scott Vare
William Scott Vare (December 24, 1867August 7, 1934) was an American politician from Pennsylvania who served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives for Pennsylvania's 1st congressional district from 1912 to 1927. ...
(1867-1934)
In the United Kingdom
*
Archibald Salvidge (1863-1928)
See also
*
Corporatocracy
Corporatocracy (, from corporate and el, -κρατία, translit=-kratía, lit=domination by; short form corpocracy) is an economic, political and judicial system controlled by corporations or corporate interests.
The concept has been used ...
*
Political corruption
*
Za'im system The Za'im system, also known as zuama clientelism, is a corrupt patronage system in Lebanon. A political boss, known as a Za'im (plural Zuama), is from a leading family in the country's electoral districts. They manipulate elections and distribute p ...
References
{{reflist, 30em
Further reading
* H. F. Gosnell, ''Machine Politics'' (1937, repr. 1968);
* S. Lubell, ''The Future of American Politics'' (3d ed. 1965);
* E. C. Banfield and J. Q. Wilson, ''City Politics'' (1963, repr. 1966)
Political terminology
Political science terminology
es:Caudillo