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

1. a group that controls the activities of a political party
   • he was endorsed by the Democratic machine