The Shame of the Cities

"The Shame of the Cities" by Lincoln Steffens is a series of early 20th-century investigative reports that spotlight corruption in several American cities. The author exposes the widespread graft and poor governance in cities such as St. Louis, Minneapolis, and Philadelphia, and he pushes for citizens to take pride in fixing the problems. Steffens shows how moral faults lead to corruption and misgovernment. He argues that regular people are part of the issue. The story starts off by exploring the theme of city corruption and how it comes from the personalities of American citizens, proceeding with the examination of St. Louis, where a determined district attorney, Joseph W. Folk, fights against corruption, revealing connections between financial greed and bad political action. The writing reveals how public apathy and involvement turned the once-respected city into a place of graft. Steffens constantly points out how citizens are part of the problem, arguing that political corruption comes from the nature of civic life itself.