Lincoln austin steffens april 6, 1866 august 9, 1936 was an american investigative. Lincoln steffens wrote about corruption in municipal government in different cities of the united states. The introduction, below, suggested his overall conclusions about political corruption. Lincoln steffens was an american journalist active during the early 20th century. The enduring strength of the typical american political machine is that it is a natural growtha sucker, but deeprooted in the people. Taking a hard look at the unprincipled lives of political bosses, police corruption, graft payments. The shame of the cities by lincoln steffens hill and wang. Thus, steffens became renowned for the series known as the shame of the cities. The shame of the cities, which was first published as a series in. Perhaps the most influential of the muckrakers was lincoln steffens. Published in 1904, it is a collection of articles which steffens had written for. Lincoln steffens was an integral part of the journalistic movement of his time. He considered a betrayal of the men who had died during the first world war. Interesting though because despite the jacob riis photo on the cover, the shame of the cities in steffens s view has nothing to do with rampant poverty.
The shame of the cities by lincoln steffens goodreads. To stop an endless cycle of corruption, history says fix. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Published in 1904, the book focuses on the government corruption in the cities of, chicago, minneapolis, pittsburgh, and st. Subsequent articles published by mcclures as a series were gathered in book form as the shame of the cities, which remains stubbornly timely and prescient more than a century later. What did the book shame of the cities describe answers. Politicians and reformers are businessmen bankers, lawyers and merchants.
In the preface of his first book, shame of the cities, which was a. Get exclusive access to content from our 1768 first edition with your subscription. Advertisement trying to get citizens to read lincoln steffens the shame of the cities2 in 1902, samuel mcclure recruited steffens to join mcclures magazine which specialized in muckraking. In the 1890s, changes in printing technology made possible inexpensive magazines that could appeal to a broader and. Lincoln joseph steffens was a new york reporter who launched a series of articles in mcclures, called tweed days in st. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Steffens hounded corrupt city officials all across the united states.
Louis in mcclures 1902 october issue, steffens wrote tweed days in st. Lincoln steffens shame of the cities the muckrakers. He is remembered for investigating corruption in municipal government in american cities and for his leftist values. Steffens articles were published in mcclures magazine in 1902 and 1903 and then collected in the shame of the cities, published in 1904. Louis, considered to be the first muckraking article, which detailed the corruption and cruelty of urban politics. Lincoln steffens was an american investigative journalist and one of the. Muckrakers thought that party bosses were corrupt and prevented democracy from working well. Impact lincoln steffens had a huge impact on the progressive era. Lincoln steffens s the shame of the cities and ida tarbells the history of the standard oil company are examples of the use of 1 the gospel of wealth 2 the melting pot theory 3 social darwinism 4 muckraking. Steffens used dramatic language to expose swindling politicians. This muckraking classic attacked corrupt election practices and shady dealings in businesses and city governments across the nation. Lincolm steffens exposed william boss tweed by writing tweed days in st. What were the effects of the shame of the cities by lincoln steffens.
What were the effects of the shame of the cities by. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. When i set out to describe the corrupt systems of certain typical cities, i meant to show simply how the people were deceived and betrayed. Louis the rise of mass circulation magazines combined with the reform impulses of the early 20th century to create the form of investigative journalism known as muckracking so named by president theodore roosevelt after the muckrake in bunyans pilgrims progress who could look no way but downward, with a muckrake in his hands. He launched a series of articles in mcclures, called tweed days in st. The shame of the cities american century series by lincoln steffens and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. In 1904, mcclures published the series as a book, the shame of the cities, which remains stubbornly timely and prescient more than a century later.
As you read this excerpt from his hook, consider why he viewed philadelphia as a disgrace not to itself alone, nor to pennsylvania, but to the united states. The shame of the cities by lincoln steffens books on. The author of the book, shame of the cities, was lincoln steffens. Lincoln steffens writes this book because he wants to expose how terrible corruption is in the cities. A survey 1987, by alan brinkley, richard current, et al. By the turn of the century, many of the muckrakers were turning their attention to government and particularly. Louis, published in mcclures magazine in october 1902, is considered the first work of muckraking journalism.
Lincoln steffens writes this book because he wants to expose how terrible corruption is in the. The shame of the cities and millions of other books are available for amazon. This is a pre1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. This state of things was indicated in the first article which claude h. Louis, minneapolis, pittsburgh, philadelphia, chicago, and new york as the shame of the cities. Louis, that would later be published together in a book titled the shame of the cities. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the shame of the cities.
But urban political corruption remained a particularly popular target, and in 1904 steffens collected and published his writings on st. The shame of the cities hardcover 1904 by lincoln steffens author. The shame of the cities by lincoln steffens, paperback. In 1904, steffens articles were published into a book entitled the shame of the cities. His book deals only with highend corruption, and the shame supposedly comes from the inability of good. In 1904, mcclures published the series as a book, the shame of the cities, which. Editorial observer on lincoln steffens muckraking book the shame of.
To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. The project gutenberg ebook of the shame of the cities, by lincoln. First look at the source at the bottom of the page. Lincoln steffens was a muckraker of the progressive era in the early 20th century, he was also a leftist and a worldclass researcher that had very nice connections in the municipal government of different cities which helped him to reveal certain corrupt nets and the. The shame of the cities work by steffens britannica. Lincoln steffens, the shame of the cities new york. It reports on the workings of corrupt political machines in several major u.
In late nineteenth century, politics in the urban north often included organizations, or machines that controlled the disbursement of public resources. Lincoln steffens, american journalist, lecturer, and political philosopher. Other articles where the shame of the cities is discussed. Lincoln steffens and his book, the shame of the cities, will cause the extinction of corruption in the cities.
Lincoln austin steffens was an american investigative journalist and one of the leading muckrakers of the progressive era in the early 20th century. The shame of the cities is a book written by american author lincoln steffens. Courier corporation, mar 8, 2012 history 224 pages. The shame of the cities by lincoln steffens alibris. To stop an endless cycle of corruption, history says fix the system, not the politician a turnofthecentury muckraker named lincoln steffens understood the true problem with a. Lincoln steffens the shame of cities the shame of the cities is a book written by american author lincoln steffens. Tweed stole as much as 200 million dollars in 1877 from new york taxpayers. Editorial observer on lincoln steffens muckraking book the shame of the cities, written 100 years ago out of outrage at shameless citizenry who allowed corruption to fester in way that. Excerpt from a book by muckraker lincoln steffens, the shame of cities, published in 1904.
Happy birthday, lincoln steffens, one of the first muckrakers. The shame of the cities by lincoln steffens belt publishing. The shame of the cities by steffens, lincoln, 18661936. The shame of the cities 1904 the following account is taken verbatim from american history. Lincoln steffens wrote about corrupt city and state politics in the shame of the cities 1904. The shame of the cities by lincoln steffens muckraking journalist lincoln 5teffens investigated political corruption in american cities. A famous muckraker, steffens is remembered for pioneering a style of critical, investigative reporting that centered on covering the misdeeds of civic and corporate leaders. Steffens, lincoln 18661936 at the beginning of the twentieth century, when corruption in city government ran rampant in large american cities, one of the original muckrakersso named by theodore roosevelt for their aggressive journalistic tactics in investigating controversial storieswas lincoln steffens. You are going to read documents by a muckraker and a city political boss. The shame of the cities ebook written by lincoln steffens. Lincoln steffens facts, summary, life, achievements, death.
Lincoln steffens was a reporter the new york evening post, where he learned a number of different skills including how to investigate and create newsworthy articles on local politics, economic conditions, and culture. Lincoln steffens, from the shame of the cities 1904. The shame of the cities paperback july 18, 2009 by steffens lincoln author 3. As i understood, steffens points to the origin of corruption to two important causes. Steffens would go on to expose machine politics in pittsburgh, chicago, philadelphia, and new york city. After only being editor for four months, steffens was kicked out of the office by mcclure and told to find out what was happening with the country. Did it have any real effects on the government, or. Lincoln steffens isnt much remembered today, though peter hartshorns absorbing biography, i have seen the future, makes it clear why he should be. It is considered one of several early major pieces of muckraking journalism, though steffens later claimed that this work made him the first muckraker.
Lincoln steffens, from the shame of the cities 1904 lincoln steffens was among the best known of the muckraking journalists. In october 1902 mcclures magazine published what many consider the first muckraking article, lincoln steffens. The shame of the cities by lincoln steffens free ebook. Lincoln steffens, from the shame of the cities 1904 the philadelphia machine isnt the best. E x c e r p t f r o m t h e s h a m e o f t h e c i t i e s. Brand whitlock, who wrote the turn of the balance 1907, a novel opposing capital punishment, was also a reform mayor of toledo, ohio. Lincoln steffens is referenced in the 1987 novel the bonfire of the vanities by tom wolfe. It isnt sound, and i doubt if it would stand in new york or chicago.
His famous book the shame of the cities was a collection of articles on municipal corruption that he wrote for mcclures magazine in 1902 and 1903. Her book red virtue 1931 was one result of this experience. Asked in books and literature, authors, poets, and playwrights who wrote shame of the cities. Published in 1904, it is a collection of articles which steffens had written for mcclures magazine. In his articles, he reflected the disgust that reformers felt for political machines and their.
His exposes helped build support for reform and change. In an introduction to a book compiling the series the shame of the cities, steffens wrote. Lincoln steffens, the shame of the cities the object of history. Lincoln steffenss the shame of the cities and ida tarbell. Be the first to ask a question about the shame of the cities.