This article focuses on the Last Hurrah thesis, which argues that New Deal social welfare crippled the old-time city machines. In contradiction to this thesis, the author argues that New Deal work relief actually strengthened political machines. Local political bosses were able to trade jobs with the Civil Works Administration for votes for their machines, and because of the lack of a bureaucracy, the federal government could neither keep a constant watch on the actions of local officials nor reprimand or replace them when they became recalcitrant. The findings of this study suggest that the Last Hurrah thesis needs to be revised.
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