Which journalist's work documented political corruption in cities as part of the 'Shame of the Cities'?

Which journalist's work documented political corruption in cities as part of the 'Shame of the Cities'?

• A. Jacob Riis
• B. Lincoln Steffens
• C. Ida Tarbell
• D. Upton Sinclair

Answer: (B)

Muckraking journalism in the Progressive Era sought to reveal how power operated in cities, pushing the public toward reform. Lincoln Steffens is the journalist behind The Shame of the Cities, a 1904 series in McClure’s Magazine. He traveled to multiple American cities, interviewing residents and showing how political machines and bosses controlled city governments through patronage and corruption, tying municipal politics to business interests. This exposure helped spark a nationwide push for urban reform, leading to changes like nonpartisan ballots, civil service reforms, and new forms of city administration. Other well-known reporters tackled different issues: Jacob Riis highlighted urban poverty and tenement life; Ida Tarbell exposed the abuses of Standard Oil; Upton Sinclair revealed the meatpacking industry’s hazards in The Jungle. The Shame of the Cities specifically targets urban political corruption, which is why Steffens is the right match.

Muckraking journalism in the Progressive Era sought to reveal how power operated in cities, pushing the public toward reform. Lincoln Steffens is the journalist behind The Shame of the Cities, a 1904 series in McClure’s Magazine. He traveled to multiple American cities, interviewing residents and showing how political machines and bosses controlled city governments through patronage and corruption, tying municipal politics to business interests. This exposure helped spark a nationwide push for urban reform, leading to changes like nonpartisan ballots, civil service reforms, and new forms of city administration.

Other well-known reporters tackled different issues: Jacob Riis highlighted urban poverty and tenement life; Ida Tarbell exposed the abuses of Standard Oil; Upton Sinclair revealed the meatpacking industry’s hazards in The Jungle. The Shame of the Cities specifically targets urban political corruption, which is why Steffens is the right match.