George washington plunkitt of tammany hall 706 words 123. Book report of plunkitt of tammany hall essay example 949 words 4 pages an analysis of plunkitt of tammany hall william bryce history 2 austin community college november 30, 2011 the purpose of this book report is to analyze the themes in plunkitt of tammany hall by william l. In plunkitt of tammany hall riordan admits readers into an area of life that mystified middleclass americans at the turn of the twentieth century. Riordon, is one of the most famous books of political philosophy ever. This civil service law is the biggest fraud of the age. The book plunkitt of tammany hall is not only a monument to george w. A series of very plain talks on very practical politics, delivered by ex senator george washington plunkitt, the tammany philosopher, from his rostrum the new york county court house bootblack stand. Plunkitt may or may not be book educated in any event, he takes a dim view of people who are but he does understand people very well. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. A series of very plain talks on very practical politics by george washington plunkitt. Another topic covered in the book, the difference between honest graft and dishonest graft is equally alive and well among modern politicians. It is as important to understanding the united states in the early 20th century as the prince is to understanding the renaissance. Book report of plunkitt of tammany hall an analysis of plunkitt of tammany hall william bryce history 2 austin community college november 30, 2011 the purpose of this book report is to analyze the themes in plunkitt of tammany hall by william l. Tammany hall politicians, famously known as tammany men were identified with wealth and great fortunes.
Essay about george washington plunkitt of tammany hall. A series of very plain talks on very practical politics. George washington plunkitt was a tammany hall politician who wielded clout in new york city for decades. Nov 30, 2016 tammany hall provided that safety net in exchange for your vote. However, for all the unintentional laughter plunkit of tammany hall provides, theres also a troubling side to the book. Tammany hall district leader george washington plunkitt. Plunkitt of tammany hall essay plunkitt of tammany hall 1.
Jul 31, 2015 plunkitt of tammany hall a series of very plain talks on very practical politics william l. He had opposition from reformers who accused tammany hall of illegal activities involving graft. Americans found a dead man with a light complexion, red hair and blue eyes. Riordan nobody thinks of drawin the distinction between honest graft and dishonest graft. The world of george washington plunkitt plunkitt of tammany hall as want to read. And in a series of frank and disarmingly charming, informal lectures of sorts, plunkitt revels in this corruption. Profile of george washington plunkitt, politican all. Plunkitt on tammany hall college essays jasminejones. George washington plunkitt plunkitt of tammany hall the book. Does george plunkitt consider the tammany district leader to be off from politics ever nooo.
George washington plunkitt of tammany hall essay the power produces a profound impact on an individual. The book is a brave explanation on the differences between what was called honest graft and dishonest graft by george washington plunkitt. A series of very plain talks on very practical politics signet classics riordan, william l. Riordons purpose is to educate people about politics and to stimulate reform in their corrupt political. I guess theyll have to exist as long as theres bookworms, and i suppose. The plunkitt of tammany hall was an insight of street politics in new york published in 1905. With this sentence in the first chapter plunkitt sets the tone for his short treatise on new. Plunkitt s 40 plus years as a senator, it is also a monument to his enormous ego.
Through plunkitts speeches, its easy to see what the political machine in america has always lacked. Plunkitt of tammany hall george washington plunkitt. An analysis of plunkitt of tammany hall william bryce history 2 austin community college november 30, 2011 the purpose of this book report is to analyze the themes in plunkitt of tammany hall by william l. Plunkitt of tammany hall a series of very plain talks on very practical politics, delivered by exsenator george washington plunkitt, the tammany philosopher. The full text of william riordons book is supported here by nine primary documents that place both the book and its subject.
George washington plunkitt 18421924 was an influential leader in tammany hall, new yorks democratic political machine. He then goes on about how well run tammany is, and concludes by saying that these fool critics dont know what theyre talkin about when they criticize tammany hall, the most perfect political machine on earth. On the other hand, an individual having the power may produce a profound impact on the development of the community and entire society depending on the power he possesses. He was a leader of the tammany hall political organization, a vehement critic. Sage reference plunkitt, george washington 18421924. A series of very plain talks on very practical politics, delivered by exsenator george washington plunkitt, the tammany.
Although the entire book still returns rewards, the opening chapter of plunkitt of tammany hall has the greatest resonance for our clintonian times. Plunkitt of tammany hall, by george washington plunkitt. Plunkitt was a state senator from new york, a boss from the tammany hall political machine at the turn of the twentieth century. But he exercised greater political influence through his work as a ward boss in new yorks fifteenth assembly district.
He worked his way up from being a helping hand around the district headquarters as a boy, all the way up to being a district leader and a state senator. Plunkitt of tammany hall by george washington plunkitt free. Plunkitt has been one of the great powers in tammany hall for a quarter of a century. George washington plunkitt was a highranking member of the tammany hall machine, and the author, william riordan, created the book as a series of articles gleaned from mr. Although he was well known in new york city political circles in the latenineteenth and earlytwentieth centuries, his enduring fame came from a very short book with a very long subtitle. Book report of plunkitt of tammany hall essay example. Plunkitt, tammany leader of the fifteenth assembly district, sachem of the tammany society and chairman of the elections committee of tammany hall, who has held the offices of state senator, assemblyman, police magistrate, county supervisor and alderman and who boasts of his record in filling.
Plunkitt of tammany hall a series of very plain talks on very practical politics, delivered by exsenator george washington plunkitt, the tammany philosopher, from his rostrum the new york county court house bootblack stand. Riordon, published a book plunkitt of tammany hall, which was essentially a series of monologues in which the old politician, often hilariously, expounded on his life and his theories of politics. Plunkitt and his political machine tammany hall did some good for the people of new york city the poor gained a much needed friend and political ally. Plunkitt, who would hold court at the bootblack stand at the new york county courthouse, telling anyone who would listen about the difference between honest and dishonest graft, the difference between. Plunkitt of tammany hall bedford books in american. This brief classic of streetwise politics was published in 1905 after first appearing as a series of newspaper stories. With an introduction by peter quinn and a new afterword. Plunkitt of tammany hall essay plunkitt tammany hall. Since its publication in 1905, plunkitt of tammany hall has given generations of students a passport into the world of controversy, conflict, corruption, and color that surrounded urban political machines at their zenith. Plunkitt of tammany hall by george washington plunkitt, paperback. Riordon is the author of plunkitt of tammany hall 3. Project gutenberg presents plunkitt of tammany hall. Riordon, plunkitts political reporter who records the many lectures plunkitt presented at tammany hall. Plunkitt helped to awaken politicians to the needs of their constituents and, ultimately, personalized the electorate.
A tribute to plunkitt by the leader of tammany hall senator plunkitt is a straight organization man. Mar 21, 2014 in plunkitt of tammany hall, plunkitt bluntly lays out the political philosophy that governed his actions in politics as well as the actions of the infamous tammany hall. The organization reached a peak of notoriety in the decade following the civil war, when it harbored the ring, the corrupted political organization of boss tweed. A series of very plain talks on very practical politic s by george washington plunkitt, recorded by william l. George washington plunkitt of tammany hall everybody is talkin these days about tammany men growin rich on graft, but nobody thinks of drawin the distinction between honest graft and dishonest graft. George washington plunkitt november 17, 1842 november 19, 1924 was an american politician from new york state, who served in both houses of the new york state legislature. Plunkitt of tammany hall essay 1541 words bartleby. George washington plunkitt 17 november 1842 november 19, 1924 was a new york state senator and, as a member of tammany hall, a ward boss for the fifteenth assembly district. The immigrants relied on tammany hall patronage, particularly for social services. Aug 22, 2011 plunkitt of tammany hall is often read as simply an apology for machine politics.
Tammany hall was powerful new york political organization. The book emphasizes on plunkitts advocacy for political control and the political machine that helped him gain wealth and a political seat in tammany hall. In the days of tammany hall, politicians like george washington plunkitt spent their careers in service to the city but first and foremost in the service of the political machine. Plunkitt of tammany hall a series of very plain talks on very practical politics william l. George washington plunkitt, the curse of civil service reform, plunkitt of tammany hall. Listen to this candid discourse from a 19th century politician, and decide for yourself if things have changed. Riordan, one of the muckracker journalists, records plunkitt s take on politics in plunkitt s own words as delivered from the bootblack stand at the new york county courthouse, plunkitt s only office. George washington plunkitt of tammany hall theres honest graft and dishonest graft, according to plunkitt. Plunkitt of tammany hall pueblo citycounty library.
Theres good graft and bad graft according to plunkitt. George washington plunkitt was a new york city politician, immortalized by william l. Drawing on a close reading of plunkitt and contemporary tammany sources, this article challenges the conventional reading of the text, and orients readers toward the book s critique of developments in national politics, particularly under the party leadership of grover cleveland and william jennings bryan. In the novel plunkitt of tammany hall, author william l. Tammany hall and its politicians affected many aspects of society in a positive light and created a politically attached population. He was a leader of the tammany hall political organization, a vehement critic of the civil service, and notably responsible for a series of colloquial and practical short talks recorded in plunkitt of tammany hall, which comprise his observations and successful mastery of machine politics. With this sentence in the first chapter plunkitt sets the tone for his short treatise on new york city politics while tammany hall ran the show. He grew rich on deals, brokered issues, and was a walking example of an organization machine politician of the day. He served in both houses of the new york state legislature and was a member of the tammany hall political machine in new york city.
Plunkitt of tammany hall book summary and study guide. Doing for twentiethcentury 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 twentytwenty vision to rosecolored glasses in viewing how our government works and why. The full text of william riordons book is supported here by nine primary documents that place both the book and its subject into context. The clintons, honest graft and dishonest graft politico. This political cabaret based on plunkitt of tammany hall a series of. Riordan and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Fundamentally, through its workings, a lot of people felt inclined to participate in politics. A journalist, william riordan, interviewed plunkitt after he left office, resulting in this book.
Plunkitt seems never to have doubted exactly where he stood on the deeply corrupt, yet amazingly effective politics and government in which he spent his life. Tammany hall, or simply tammany, was the name given to a powerful political machine that essentially ran new york city throughout much of the 19th century. Tammany hall political machine ran nyc in the 1800s. He served as a state senator and a representative to the new york assembly. Profile of george washington plunkitt, tammany hall politican. Cat ford s book however is confusing because in all honesty i do not. Honest graft and dishonest graft when plunkitt was tipped off about something in the city or someone wanting to built a park or something, he sees the opportunity and he takes it. A series of very plain talks on very practical politics audiobook by william l. Riordon kindle edition by plunkitt, george washington. A century ago this week, a slim book of political philosophy went on sale in new york. Plunkitt of tammany hall national humanities center. Peter quinn is a former speechwriter for mario cuomo and the author of banished children of eve.
Plunkitt of tammany hall by george washington plunkitt i seen my opportunities and i took em. Plunkitt of tammany hall free book with 30 day trial. Plunkitt was part of the tammany hall political machine in new york. His take on life, politics, and morality is as delightfully frank as it is astonishingly cynical.
Plunkitt is one of the veteran leaders of the organization, he has always been faithful and reliable, and he has performed valuable services for tammany hall. This classic work offers the unblushing, unvarnished wit a. Paragraph numbers apply to this excerpt, not the original source. Plunkitt seems never to have doubted exactly where he. Riordon, george washington plunkitt, born in new york, successfully alters himself from poverty and becomes the main leader of the fifteenth assembly district, a political member of the tammany hall and as described by peter quinn, an urban political machine in american history. E verybody is talkin these days about tammany men growin rich on graft, but nobody. Plunkitt of tammany hall is a great book that shows how a group of openly corrupt politicians can stay in power using a system of apprenticeship and personal favors. We can summarize plunkitts political philosophy into two key areas. Plunkitt was a wellliked man among his supporters and tammany men alike. He was a member of the tammany hall that was in power in the city of new york. Riordons follows the political life of george washington plunkitt, i was able to understanding the political corruption of the twentieth century reading this book. A series of very plain talks on very practical politics, bedford books of. Tammany hall politicstammany hall politics depicted in a cartoon by thomas nast for harpers weekly, november 25, 1871.
Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. A series of very plain talks on very practical politics by william l. A short summary of tammany hall in abound 3 minutes. He amassed a fortune by engaging in various schemes which he always claimed had been honest graft. George washington plunkitt was a sort of middle manager of one of the greatest political machines in u. The curse of civil service reform the gilder lehrman center. When collaborating on an eccentric book about his career in 1905 he brazenly defended his long and complicated career in machine politics. Essay on book report of plunkitt of tammany hall 962 words. Plunkitt was a tammany politician, state senator, and holder of a number of critical posts in the tammany organization during the late 19th century. For more than three decades after its organization, tammany represented middleclass opposition. George washington plunkitt november 17, 1842 november 19, 1924 was an american politician from new york state. Plunkitt of tammany hall 1905 excerpts from the original electronic text at the project gutenberg.
Dec 09, 2015 plunkitt goes on to say that tammany hall is a great big machine, with each part adjusted delicate to do its job. Tammany hall was one of the most colorful political machines in u s history and george washington plunkitt was in the thick of it. First of all, this work has no editor or publisher listed, which is very strange. 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. Theres honest graft and dishonest graft according to plunkitt.
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