By Drs. Kenneth C. and Robert P. Wolensky

It’s a bad time for democracy in Pennsylvania. Corruption, scandal, and an apparent lack of public and private sector integrity have brought the Commonwealth to national attention.  Unfortunately, this is not new.

History demonstrates that a culture of corruption has long characterized Pennsylvania. Malfeasance was apparent in its old political machines. Corporate influence corrupted the legislature when, for example, Sun Oil Company and Pennsylvania Railroad lobbyists sat on the floor of the State Senate. Part of the problem can also be tied to the hegemony of extractive industries and their unfairness to working people, many of them immigrants. Pennsylvania takes a back seat to no state in this league. In his forthcoming biography Pennsylvania Governor George M. Leader (1955-1959) is quoted that the Commonwealth’s history of corruption – that he worked to root-out – is an embarrassment.

Recent problems seem worse than usual.  Over 25 individuals associated with the General Assembly are either under investigation, have been indicted, pled guilty, or await trial due to scandals such as ‘bonus gate.’ And, two Luzerne County judges sentenced youth to incarceration while they had secret ownership in the detention facility and profited handsomely. In that county alone over two dozen officials – including school district directors and county employees – face criminal penalties. This level of outright scandal has not been seen since the 1970s when, similarly, a few dozen public officials were convicted of various corruption charges. That era trumps the first decade of the 20^th century when several state officials, including the governor and private contractors, were investigated and some found guilty of bribery in infamous scandal involving the furnishing of the ornate State Capitol building. That era was surpassed by the 1930s when, again, some state officials were indicted for influence peddling and financial misdealings.

The public sector has no monopoly on corruption in the Keystone State. The long and sordid history of extractive industry fraud was epitomized by the Knox Coal Company that, in 1959, ordered miners to dig illegally under the Susquehanna River near Wilkes-Barre. The Knox Mine Disaster resulted from a massive cave-in and left 12 mineworkers dead, their bodies still under the Susquehanna. A federal grand jury revealed widespread fraud and bribery and collusion between Knox, the United Mine Workers of America, and organized crime. More recently the family founders of Pennsylvania-based Adelphia Communications skimmed profits, evaded taxes, and bankrupted the company in the 1990s. Then there is Philadelphia-based Reliance Insurance Company – once among the bedrocks of American insurers – that went bankrupt in the 1990s due to shady investment practices and financial shenanigans. Officers and executives were held legally accountable. When it was liquidated by the Pennsylvania’s Insurance Commissioner its unpaid claims amounted to tens of millions that became the responsibility of a state guaranty fund that assess insurers who, in turn, pass that cost on to their policy holders.

Why does such a culture of corruption exist in the first place?  The past provides some answers. One is that when seemingly honest individuals see opportunities for money, power or other enticements they can be easily corrupted. The string of indictments in Luzerne County and at the State Capitol reads like a Who’s Who; people who vacated honesty for money, power, and to grow already inflated egos.  These (alleged) crooks ingratiated themselves with public money, democracy be damned. As history shows, greed, power grabs, and inflated egos sometimes have run the show in Pennsylvania. The situation demonstrates the accuracy of Lord Acton’s quip that, “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.”  Dictatorial regimes everywhere leave enduring  scars. Incompetence deepens the wounds.

It is possible to reform the mess?  More strict regulation on accountability and transparency from government officials, bankers, and businesses – as was done in the Progressive Era, the New Deal, and the Great Recession of current – are part of the answer.  Americans don’t like regulation however. Second, as in the early part of the last century when baseness ran rampant, journalists and media investigators need to shine the light on lawbreakers of all stripes. Back then they were ‘Muckrakers.’ The most famous of all was Ida Tarbell from Titusville. And, third, citizens can demand accountability from government and the private sector. Perhaps a new era of reform and civic participation can emerge. If not then we deserve what we get.

Is government inherently corrupt? Certainly not. Are corporations similarly infected on a wide scale? No. There are many competent and dedicated elected and appointed officials. The same is true for many in corporate America. Yet the culture of corruption that has surfaced at present is a most unpleasant reminder of what has gone before.

The authors have written several books and articles on Pennsylvania politics, labor, ethnic and industrial culture and frequently speak on these topics. Robert is a Wisconsin-based sociologist. Kenneth is a historian and resides in Grantville, Dauphin County, and is working with Governor Leader on his biography.

This entry was posted on Monday, June 28th, 2010 at 12:37 pm and is filed under Miscellaneous. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.