Final answer:
Corruption reform was often driven by powerful elites and industries to advance their own interests, sometimes through bribing officials, but city-level reformers worked to counteract this through merit-based governance and utility regulation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Corruption reform was typically fostered by elites, industries, and political groups for their own ends. During various periods in history, these powerful entities used their influence to sway legislation in their favor, which in many cases included bribing politicians. An example of this was Samuel J. Tilden, who fought corruption in New York City, targeting figures like Boss William Tweed of Tammany Hall. However, reformers at the city level often initiated changes to combat the corrupt influence of political machines and monopolies, advocating merit-based public service and taking control of utilities to provide affordable services to the public. Despite resistance from counter-reformers, concerned with their financial interests, and the constant need for citizens to remain vigilant against interest groups finding loopholes, substantial reforms like the Public Health Act of 1948 were eventually enacted.