The causes of political stalemate in the Gilded Age were rooted in party competition, limited government ideology, and patronage systems that defined American politics from 1877-1900. This period saw significant reforms including the impact of civil service reform Pendleton Act 1881 and the emergence of powerful political machines.
• Political landscape was characterized by strong two-party competition between Republicans and Democrats
• Social Darwinism and laissez-faire economics dominated political ideology
• High voter turnout was driven by strong party identification and regional loyalties
• Civil service reform marked a shift away from the role of party patronage in gilded age politics
• The period culminated in the pivotal election of 1896 between William McKinley and William Jennings Bryan