Political patronage

Political patronage is the distribution of public jobs, contracts, or other benefits in exchange for political support. It gives officeholders a way to reward allies and build coalitions.

Spoils system: A system in which elected officials distribute government jobs to political supporters. It is a direct form of patronage in which public employment rewards party loyalty.
Merit system: A system that awards public employment according to qualifications and performance rather than political affiliation. It replaces partisan appointment with selection based on job-related criteria.
Andrew Jackson: The seventh president of the United States, serving from 1829 to 1837. His administration became closely associated with rotating federal officeholders and rewarding political supporters.
Political machine: A party organization that mobilizes voters through coordinated leadership and the distribution of targeted benefits. Patronage can help machines provide services, organize turnout, and reward loyal workers.
Pork barrel: Government spending directed toward projects that benefit a particular locality or constituency. Targeted public spending can reward constituencies that support officeholders.
Civil service: The professional branch of government administration, staffed largely outside elected office. A politically insulated civil service reduces the jobs available for patronage.
Spoils system in the United States: The nineteenth-century American practice of distributing government positions to political allies. It is a prominent national example of patronage shaping public administration.
State capacity: A state's ability to implement policy, enforce laws, and provide public services. Appointments based on loyalty rather than competence can reduce administrative capacity.
Vote buying: The exchange of money or material benefits for an individual's vote. Unlike broader patronage, vote buying typically targets voters directly and explicitly.
Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act: A United States law enacted in 1883 that established merit-based federal hiring for covered positions. It curtailed the American spoils system by requiring competitive examinations for many federal jobs.

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