Posted on 06/24/2009 6:06:48 PM PDT by Danae
Tammany Hall and its Influence Today
In what would become one of the most influential political organizations in American history, Tammany Hall began life as the Tammany Society, founded by William Mooney a Revolutionary War Veteran, on May 12, 1789[i]. Mooney’s creation would become a political powerhouse in New York City and State beginning in the earliest years of the United States. From its founding until it ceased to exist in the 1960’s Tammany Hall shaped New York Politics and profoundly influenced what is today the Democrat Party; its tactics and organizational genius would eventually spread nationwide. Many of the strategies developed and used by the Hall over its 170 plus year history still exist, and are actively used today by various “Community Organizations”. Indeed it was inside Tammany Hall, sometimes known as the Columbian Order[ii], where many of the vote ‘guiding’ techniques used by political parties in modern times were developed. The evolution of Tammany Hall from a social society to political dynamo created what is accepted today as Machine Politics, one of the greatest single influences in our political system today. Though Tammany Hall would end with its name forever linked to corruption and graft, it began life as a patriotic social organization doing charitable works[iii]. Peopled mostly with Native Americans the social events that made up its agenda were not related to politics at all, and was named for the revered Delaware Indian Chief Tammanend[iv]. However with the ending of President Washington’s Presidency, the group would begin to divide along more political lines and the society became decidedly anti-federalist[v]. One of its earliest collective actions was to oppose DeWitt Clinton. In New York State politics of the 1780’s Tammany Hall allied with other organizations such as the “Martling Men” and set out to defeat Clintons Canal, which would eventually be completed and known as the Erie Canal, one of New York State’s greatest public works accomplishments[vi].
Bothh are most certainly corrupt. VERY well researched article I fi do say so... :)
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