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In politics, 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. 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 Bribery is the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official, or other person, in charge of a public or legal duty. With regard to governmental operations, essentially, bribery is "Corru ...
.


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,
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") , ...
, 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 th ...
political bosses called '' caciques'' 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 Ras or RAS may refer to: Arts and media * RAS Records Real Authentic Sound, a reggae record label * Rundfunk Anstalt Südtirol, a south Tyrolese public broadcasting service * Rás 1, an Icelandic radio station * Rás 2, an Icelandic radio sta ...
''. 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 Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
, such as the political machine of Tammany Hall, 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 politicians like Huey Long 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 List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, where Boss Tweed (arguably the most infamous political boss) wielded control over the powerful Democratic political machine. In Denver, 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 ...
exercised great influence over the politics of turn of the 20th century
Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...
. He exemplified rural bossism within the
Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa * Republican Party (Liberia) *Republican Party ...
.
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
had numerous colorful bosses, such as Democrats Hinky Dink and Bathhouse John. Chicago's Republican counterparts included Big Bill Thompson, 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, 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 Edward Hull "Boss" Crump Jr. (October 2, 1874 – October 16, 1954) was an American politician from Memphis, Tennessee. Representing the Democratic Party, he was the dominant force in the city's politics for most of the first half of the 20th ...
in Memphis, Tennessee. A few bosses had reputations as reformers, such as Frank Hague 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 ticke ...
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 ...
'' 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'' (1979-1985) featured a character named Boss Hogg, played by Sorrell Booke. Boss Tweed was portrayed by Philip Bosco in the 1986 TV movie ''Liberty'', and by Jim Broadbent as a major supporting character in the 2002 film '' Gangs of New York''. 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 ...
's 2003 novel ''Forever''. The HBO television series '' Boardwalk Empire'' (2010-2014) focuses on Enoch "Nucky" Thompson (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 (1936-2014) * Bob Brady (b. 1945) * Boss Cox (1853–1916) * Richard Croker (1843–1922) * Richard J. Daley (1902–1976) * Tom Dennison (1858–1934) * Carmine DeSapio (1908–2004) * Johnny Dougherty (b. 1960) * Meade Esposito (1907–1993) * M. Harvey Taylor (1876-1982) *
James A. Farley James Aloysius Farley (May 30, 1888 – June 9, 1976) was an American politician and Knight of Malta who simultaneously served as chairman of the New York State Democratic Committee, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and Postmast ...
(1888–1976) * Frank Hague (1876–1956) * Boss Hesing (1823–1895) * William J. Jefferson (b. 1947) * Enoch L. Johnson (1883–1968) * Huey Long (1893–1935) * Joseph M. Margiotta (1927–2008) * John J. McClure (1886-1965) *
Michael Cassius McDonald Michael Cassius McDonald (1839 – August 9, 1907) was a crime boss, political boss, and businessman based out of Chicago. He is considered to have introduced organized crime to the city, and to have also established its first political machine ...
(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 George E. Norcross III (born March 16, 1956) is an American businessman and a Democratic Party organizer and power broker in southern New Jersey. Norcross is executive chairman of Conner Strong & Buckelew, an insurance brokerage firm. He is c ...
(b. 1956) *
Daniel P. O'Connell Daniel Patrick "Dan" O'Connell (November 13, 1885 – February 28, 1977) was a longtime leader of the Democratic Party political machine in Albany County, New York. O'Connell was born in Albany, New York and dropped out of school in the fifth gra ...
(1885-1977) * Frank Rizzo (1920-1991) * Alexander Robey Shepherd *
John F. Street John Franklin Street (born October 15, 1943) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 97th Mayor of the City of Philadelphia. He was first elected to a term beginning on January 3, 2000, and was re-elected to a second term begin ...
(b. 1943) * Tom Pendergast (1873–1945) * John S. Williams (1835-1887) * Boss Tweed (1823–1878) * Donald J. Trump (b. 1946) * William Scott Vare (1867-1934)


In the United Kingdom

*
Archibald Salvidge Sir Archibald Tutton James Salvidge (5 August 1863 – 11 December 1928) was an English politician, most notable for securing the political dominance of the Conservative Party in Liverpool through the use of the Working Men's Conservative ...
(1863-1928)


See also

* Corporatocracy * 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 ...


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