Philadelphia, Corrupt and Consenting

Description

More than a century after muckraking journalist Lincoln Steffens derided the city of Philadelphia as being “corrupt and contented,” Philadelphia struggles to rise above this unfortunate characterization. Philadelphia, Corrupt and Consentingis the story of a city’s confrontation with a history that threatens its future. Author Brett Mandel, who has been a reform-oriented government official and political insider, provides a detailed account of the corruption investigation of John Dougherty, one of the city’s most powerful political figures, in order to expose and explore networks of corruption. 
 
He examines the costs of corruption, both financial and nonpecuniary, and considers the opportunity cost that corruption imposes. Mandel explores the nature and development of Philadelphia’s unique culture of corruption, emphasizing how machine politics and self-dealing are entwined with city history, creating a culture that allows corruption to thrive. In addition, he provides practical, achievable policies and actions that can produce positive change in Philadelphia and elsewhere.
 
Mandel seeks to provide insight into how our collective actions or inattention give consent to the corruption, as well as its roots and effects, and the reasons for its persistence. Philadelphia, Corrupt and Consenting is a critique, but above all, it is a call to action.

Brett H. Mandel is a Philadelphia-based writer and consultant who engages in civic activism and government reform when he is not serving as Chief Financial Officer and Utility Player for his start-up, Baseball BBQ. He has also served as the Executive Director of the National Education Technology Funding Corporation; Executive Director of the citizens' organization, Philadelphia Forward; and Director of Financial and Policy Analysis for the Office of the Philadelphia City Controller. He is the author of Minor Players, Major Dreams; Is This Heaven? The Magic of the Field of Dreams; and coauthor of Philadelphia: A New Urban Direction.

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