Citing a non-existent “one man one vote” principle, eight Warren Court black-robes ruled that state legislative districts must be of approximately equal populations. Through a rogue interpretation of the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause, these masterminds imposed a democratic republic form of government on all fifty states! Never mind the constitution simply guarantees a republican form of government, scotus illegally overruled centuries of wisdom and imposed social justice democracy instead.
Illinois Senator Dirksen warned that Chicago would come to dominate Springfield. He was right, and due to Reynolds, Illinois is near bankruptcy and losing population as people flee high taxes, higher unemployment, and societal destruction.
That's exactly right -- Chicago and the other urban machines. I grew up in St. Clair County, and the Democrat machine there was Chicago on a smaller scale. What is interesting is that, at least on statewide and congressional races, that area has gone Republican the last few elections. County offices and state legislative offices are still all Democrats.
Illinois used to have proportional representation, in which there would be three reps elected from each legislative district -- two from the majority party, one from the minority -- and that at least guaranteed, say, Republican voters in Chicago would have a voice. I believe that went away with the most recent constitution. I used to be in touch with a guy years ago who wanted to revive that, but it never really got off the ground.