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Hiring and firing federal workers
- "The Spoils System" was the name given to the practice of hiring and firing federal workers when presidential administrations changed in the 19th century. It is also known as the patronage system. The practice began during the administration of President Andrew Jackson, who took office in March 1829.
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Spoils system, practice in which the political party winning an election rewards its campaign workers and other active supporters by appointment to government posts and with other favors. Learn more about the history and significance of the spoils system in this article.
- Merit
Other articles where merit system is discussed: public...
- Merit
- Intended as A Reform Under Jackson
- Spoils System Denounced as Corruption
- Spoils System Reformed in The 1880s
- The Man Who Coined The Phrase
When Andrew Jackson took office in March 1829, after the bruising election of 1828, he was determined to change the way the federal government operated. And, as might be expected, he ran into considerable opposition. Jackson was by nature very suspicious of his political opponents. As he took office he was still quite angry at his predecessor, John...
Jackson's policy of replacing federal employees was bitterly denounced by his political opponents. But they were essentially powerless to fight against it. Jackson's political ally (and future president) Martin Van Burenwas at times credited with having created the new policy, as his New York political machine, known as the Albany Regency, had oper...
Presidents who took office after Jackson all followed the practice of doling out federal jobs to political supporters. There are many stories, for instance, of President Abraham Lincoln, at the height of the Civil War, being endlessly annoyed by officer-seekers who would come to the White House to plead for jobs. The Spoils System was criticized fo...
Senator Marcy of New York, whose retort to Henry Clay gave the Spoils System its name, was unfairly vilified, according to his political supporters. Marcy did not intend his comment to be an arrogant defense of corrupt practices, which is how it has often been portrayed. Incidentally, Marcy had been a hero in the War of 1812 and served as governor ...
In politics and government, a spoils system (also known as a patronage system) is a practice in which a political party, after winning an election, gives government jobs to its supporters, friends (cronyism), and relatives (nepotism) as a reward for working toward victory, and as an incentive to keep working for the party—as opposed to a ...
Jun 11, 2018 · The spoils system is the political practice of playing favorites. Used throughout U.S. history, it commonly takes the form of filling appointive offices with loyal supporters. Among the nation's early presidents Thomas Jefferson (1801 – 1809) made particular use of the practice to place his allies in influential civil service posts.
Definition and meaning of spoils system: The "spoils system" is a political practice where government jobs are handed out to a winning candidate or party's supporters, friends, and relatives, rather than being awarded based on merit.
Feb 10, 2024 · A Jackson supporter explained the system another way. "To the victor belong the spoils," he declared. Spoils are profits or benefits. From then on, the practice of rewarding supporters with government jobs became known as the spoils system.
Sep 19, 2018 · By Jackson's words he argued that he was not creating a spoils system, but his actions whether intentionally or not ushered in what Senator William Marcy described as a spoils system. The Jackson administration described this purge as reform, but the nation viewed it as patronage.
