Published in 1904, it is a collection of articles which steffens had written for. Steffens remained with mcclures until 1906, when he left to start a new magazine. Steffens was a leading opponent of such nepotism, and did his utmost to root it out. Steffens responded with his famous series detailing municipal corruption, 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 orthography and spelling have been updated and americanized throughout, and steffens longer quotations. Kindly do not copy, modify, distribute or sell the whole or parts of the lincoln steffens, the shame of the cities, 1904 quotes without permission of the creator. Lincoln steffens, from the shame of the cities 1904 lincoln steffens was among the best known of the muckraking journalists. Xv joseph lincoln steffens 18661936 known throughout his life by his middle name was a reformer whose charitable desire to seek.
Louis, published in mcclures magazine in october 1902, is considered the first work of muckraking journalism. In the preface of his first book, shame of the cities, which was a. Louis, minneapolis, pittsburgh, philadelphia, chicago, and new york as the shame of the cities. In 1902, samuel mcclure recruited steffens to join mcclures magazine which specialized in muckraking. This book is a new scholarly edition of lincoln steffens classic, muckraking account of gilded age corruption in america. Lincoln steffens, the shame of the cities 1904 the shame of the cities one of the most famous muckraking journalists was lincoln steffens, whose book the shame of the cities 1904, first published serially in mcclures, denounced the corruption afflicting americas urban governments. The shame of the cities 1904 the following account is taken verbatim from american history. In this book are images he gained of dishonest accounting. Editorial observer on lincoln steffens muckraking book the shame of the cities, written 100 years ago out of outrage at shameless citizenry.
The shame of the cities is a book written by american author lincoln steffens. As i understood, steffens points to the origin of corruption to two important causes. Lincoln austin steffens april 6, 1866 august 9, 1936 was an american investigative journalist and one of the leading muckrakers of the progressive era in the early 20th century. He is remembered for investigating corruption in municipal government in american cities and for his leftist values. Lincoln steffens lincoln steffens biography poem hunter. Politicians and reformers are businessmen bankers, lawyers and merchants. Now, the typical american citizen is the business man. Lincolm steffens exposed william boss tweed by writing tweed days in st. Lincoln steffenss the shame of the cities, and the philosophy of. Lincoln steffens wrote about corrupt city and state politics in the shame of the cities 1904. Some of his famous works are the shame of cities 1904, the struggle for selfgovernment 1906, and the traitor state. Lincoln steffens and his book, the shame of the cities, will cause the extinction of corruption in the cities. In late nineteenth century, politics in the urban north often included organizations, or machines that controlled the disbursement of public resources. Courier corporation, mar 8, 2012 history 224 pages.
Steffens insists and reiterates and insists again that in the misgovernment of american cities no one class is at fault, nor any one breed, nor any particular interest or group of interests. Steffenss book was and has remained immensely successful. Lincoln steffens, in his series of articles entitled the shame of the cities, unmasked the corrupt alliance between big business and municipal government the muckrakers signified much about the nature of the progressive reform movement because they. By 1905 steffens shifted his attention to the battle for good government in state capitals. 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. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. Justin kaplan brings alive early twentiethcentury america a nation in the throes of becoming a great industrial power, a land dominated by. The shame of the cities by lincoln steffens, paperback. This muckraking classic attacked corrupt election practices and shady dealings in businesses and city governments across the nation.
In a changing world, the gentlemans agreement that existed between journalists and politicians had started melting away. Happy birthday, lincoln steffens, one of the first muckrakers. 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. Interesting though because despite the jacob riis photo on the cover, the shame of the cities in steffenss view has nothing to do with rampant poverty. Tweed stole as much as 200 million dollars in 1877 from new york taxpayers. Published in 1904, the book focuses on the government corruption in the cities of, chicago, minneapolis, pittsburgh, and st. To stop an endless cycle of corruption, history says fix. The shame of cities written by lincoln steffens, this piece was designed to make americans feel outraged and shamed by showing example. Lincoln steffens april 6, 1866 august 9, 1936 was a new york reporter who launched a series of articles in mcclures that would later be published together in a book titled the shame of the cities. Louis in mcclures 1902 october issue, steffens wrote tweed days in st. Louis, considered to be the first muckraking article, which detailed the corruption and cruelty of urban politics. This lincoln steffens, the shame of the cities, 1904 quotes collection has over 1 quotes.
The shame of the cities by lincoln steffens alibris. Lincoln steffens the shame of cities the shame of the cities is a book written by american author lincoln steffens. Lincoln steffens lincoln steffens poems poem hunter. Lincoln steffens joseph lincoln steffens, 18661936, american editor and author, b. Lincoln steffenss the shame of the cities and ida tarbell. Lincoln steffens, the shame of the cities the object of history. What were the effects of the shame of the cities by. Published in 1904, it is a collection of articles which steffens had written for mcclures magazine. His exposes helped build support for reform and change. The shame of the cities paperback july 18, 2009 by steffens lincoln author 3.
His book deals only with highend corruption, and the shame supposedly comes from the inability of good. By the turn of the century, many of the muckrakers were turning their attention to government and particularly to the urban political machines. Lincoln steffens, the shame of the cities wikipedia. Steffens revealed the universal nature of corruption and the equally widespread insensitivity on the public.
Impact lincoln steffens had a huge impact on the progressive era. He launched a series of articles in mcclures, called tweed days in st. On the cusp of the twentieth century he was part of a generation, trying to decipher the implications of huge social and economic change. The shame of the cities by lincoln steffens hill and wang. He is famous for investigating corruption in municipal government in american cities and for his early support for the soviet union. 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. 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. Publication date 1904 topics municipal government, political corruption united states publisher new york, mcclure, phillips collection robarts. A survey 1987, by alan brinkley, richard current, et al.
Lincoln steffens american journalist born on april 06, 1866, died on august 09, 1936 lincoln joseph steffens was a new york reporter who launched a series of articles in mcclures that would later be published together in a book titled the shame of the cities. Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1. Thus, steffens became renowned for the series known as the shame of the cities. Lincoln steffens writes this book because he wants to expose how terrible corruption is in the. Steffens articles were published in mcclures magazine in 1902 and 1903 and then collected in the shame of the cities, published in 1904. 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. Read the quotation from lincoln steffenss the shame of 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. See all 67 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. It also may have given the public an incentive for wanting to have a voice in politics something fueled by their desire to end the political corruption. Lincoln steffenss 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.
The shame of the cities by steffens, lincoln, 18661936. The shame of the cities by lincoln steffens belt publishing. From the shame of the citieslincoln steffens perhaps the most influential of the muckrakers was lincoln steffens. Steffens would go on to expose machine politics in pittsburgh, chicago, philadelphia, and new york city. Lincoln steffens shame of the cities the muckrakers. The shame of the cities by lincoln steffens free ebook. 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. Taking a hard look at the unprincipled lives of political bosses, police corruption, graft payments. Brand whitlock, who wrote the turn of the balance 1907, a novel opposing capital punishment, was also a reform mayor of toledo, ohio. List of books and articles about lincoln steffens online. It reports on the workings of corrupt political machines in several major u. Lincoln steffens, the shame of the cities new york.
Here, from the acclaimed biographer of mark twain and walt whitman, is the life and world of lincoln steffens the columbus of muckraking, the father of american investigative journalism, and a pivotal figure in the history of grassroots radicalism. This work was reproduced from the original artifact. Read the quotation from lincoln steffenss the shame of. The introduction, below, suggested his overall conclusions about political corruption.
Perhaps the most influential of the muckrakers was lincoln steffens. Returning to the united states, he took successive reporting jobs on various new york city newspapers. Louis, that would later be published together in a book titled the shame of the cities. Steffens began to write, furiously, publishing his dawning theory in his famous shame of the cities series in mcclures magazine between 1901 and 1904. Lincoln steffens, the shame of the cities, 1904 quotes. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg.
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