political machine
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: A political machine is a highly organized group, often within a specific geographic area like a city, that controls the activities and operations of a political party. Its primary goal is to gain and maintain political power, typically by securing votes for its candidates through a system of patronage, favors, and sometimes corruption, rather than through ideology or policy.
Usage
The term is used to describe a powerful, entrenched, and often hierarchical organization within a political system. * It functions as a singular noun (e.g., the political machine). * It often carries a negative connotation, implying backroom deals and the exchange of favors for political support.
Examples
- Noun:
- For decades, the city was dominated by a powerful political machine that controlled all major appointments.
- The reform candidate vowed to dismantle the corrupt political machine that had governed for years.
- He rose to power not through popular appeal but by being a loyal member of the local political machine.
Advanced Usage
- "The machine": In political contexts, "the machine" is often used as shorthand for "the political machine," especially when it is clear which specific organization is being discussed.
- Everyone knew you had to get the approval of the machine to get anything done in city hall.
Variants and Related Words
- Machine politics (n): The methods and practices characteristic of a political machine, such as patronage and bloc voting.
- The era of machine politics began to decline with the rise of civil service reforms.
- Party machine (n): A synonym often used interchangeably with "political machine," emphasizing its control over a political party's apparatus.
Synonyms
- Political organization: A more neutral term for a group involved in politics.
- Party apparatus: The structure and personnel of a political party.
- Establishment: The dominant group in a political party or system, though this is a broader term.
Related Idioms & Phrases
- A well-oiled machine: While not exclusive to politics, this idiom is sometimes used to describe a highly efficient political machine, focusing on its organizational effectiveness rather than its ethical standing.
- The mayor's campaign ran like a well-oiled machine, turning out voters in every precinct.
Noun
- a group that controls the activities of a political party
- he was endorsed by the Democratic machine