Whenever anything extraordinary is done in American municipal

The words of Lincoln Steffens — “Whenever anything extraordinary is done in American municipal politics, whether for good or for evil, you can trace it almost invariably to one man. The people do not do it. Neither do the ‘gangs,’ ‘combines,’ or political parties” — ring with both revelation and warning. In them, the great muckraking journalist unmasks the hidden truth of local governance: that beneath the machinery of parties and the noise of the crowd, it is often the will and cunning of a single man that bends the destiny of the city.

At its heart, this saying reveals the concentration of power in the hands of individuals. While democracy teaches that the people govern, Steffens, in his investigations of American cities at the dawn of the twentieth century, found that corruption and reform alike were rarely the fruits of the multitude. Instead, a boss, a reformer, or a visionary would seize the levers of municipal politics, guiding decisions that shaped millions of lives. The lesson is sobering: the extraordinary, whether noble or corrupt, is born not of systems but of individuals bold enough to act.

History offers many examples. In New York, Boss Tweed of Tammany Hall wielded near-absolute power, directing contracts, elections, and fortunes. His hand, not the will of the people, orchestrated both the grandeur and the graft of the city. Yet on the other side, Fiorello La Guardia, the “Little Flower,” transformed New York with honesty and vigor, proving that one man, righteous in purpose, could bring light where once there was only shadow. Steffens’s words apply equally to both — for good or for evil, the extraordinary bore the mark of an individual.

This teaching reminds us of the peril of apathy. When the people withdraw into silence, believing that “parties” or “gangs” alone rule, they leave space for one man to rise unchecked. Sometimes that man reforms and redeems; sometimes he exploits and destroys. In either case, it is the vacuum of popular responsibility that allows the will of one to eclipse the will of many.

Let future generations remember: democracy is strong only when the people refuse to abandon their share of power. Otherwise, the extraordinary — whether glory or ruin — will always be left in the hands of a single figure. Steffens’s words are both a chronicle of his time and a timeless warning: in the realm of politics, one man may shape the city, but only the vigilance of all can safeguard its soul.