Spoils System
What is the spoils system?
Rewarding political supporters with government jobs.
What was the main goal of the Pendleton Act?
To create a merit-based system for hiring government workers.
What did the Pendleton Act implment to ensure fairness in hiring?
Competitive exams for job applicants.
Which U.S. president popularized the spoils system?
Andrew Jackson.
In what year was the Pendleton Act passed?
1883
How did the Pendleton Act help reduce corruption in government hiring?
By ending the practice of awarding jobs based on political loyalty.
Why was the spoils system criticized?
It promoted corruption and inefficiency by hiring based on loyalty rather than merit.
Which government organization did the Pendleton Act establish?
The Civil Service Commission.
What percentage of federal jobs were covered by the merit system when the Pendleton Act was first passed?
10%
What term was used to criticize Andrew Jackson’s use of the spoils system with his Cabinet?
The "Kitchen Cabinet."
What event motivated Congress to pass the Pendleton Act?
The assassination of President James A. Garfield
Bureaucracy’s complexity prevents all forms of corruption.
False
True or False: The spoils system is still the dominant hiring practice in U.S. government today and is the reason they employ so many people today.
False, The spoils system is no longer the dominant hiring practice in the U.S. government.The reason the U.S. government employs so many people today is due to the expansion of government programs and services, not the spoils system.
How did the Pendleton Act protect government workers?
By shielding them from being fired for political reasons.
How has the merit-based system established by the Pendleton Act evolved in today's federal bureaucracy?
It expanded to include nearly all federal jobs, with detailed hiring, promotion, and accountability rules.