Detail Word Spoils

agenda that did not go beyond the abolition of the spoils system and the installation of a merit system. Wilson

system. FIGURE 10.16 This Thomas Nast political cartoon from 1877 criticizes the spoils system associated with President Andrew Jackson. (credit: “In memoriam—

patronage in the wake of twentieth century reform efforts. The spoils system came under severe criticism, even during the time

those with the foresight to support the winning candidate. The spoils system continued at least until 1883 when the Pendleton Act

heart of the matter was the struggle to limit the spoils system of rewarding political party members with government job

B. Eaton, asserted, the reformers’ most fundamental critique of the spoils system was that under it “we have seen a

and the quality of life. Old machine politics and the spoils system were blamed for every ill in society—inefﬁciency,

and was a reaction to the negative effects of the spoils system with its lack of competence and susceptibility to

then on, the practice that to the victors belong the spoils came to be established. Civil Service Reform: The assassination

sit easily with tightly disciplined political parties competing for the spoils of government and that, whatever their disadvantages, small

a term deriving from the phrase ‘to the victor, the spoils’. Spoils meant that successful candidates, including newly-elected presidents,

and interviews. Weber was aware of the drawbacks of the spoils system characterized by extravagant expenditure, improprieties, technical deficiencies and

of all, it reintroduced an una tantum version of the spoils system with regard not only to the general directors (

the dilemma was how to obtain both while eliminating the spoils system. Gradually, but perceptibly, the concept of merit became

goals were to smite out “evil” as personified by the spoils system. Viewed historically and dispassionately, one could argue that

by Lincoln Steffens (1904), these proponents of reform exposed corruption and spoils in major cities and in state government. The results

not been conducive to social and economic development. Patronage and spoils may be useful for promoting political loyalty but they

public practices, to see the insidious nature of corruption and spoils return in the guise of “contracting out.” Services provided

been possible through merit and professional performance, whereas patronage and spoils systems have had the opposite effects. However, this article

through constitutionally ordained means), each new regime with a spoils system or some variation of it replaces many government

numbers of appointed officials. The Mexican version of a spoils system thus remains attractive to a variety of political

the bureaucracy should not become politicized as happens in a spoils system, it is also necessary that its members should

serious challenges facing Polish politicians today. An extensive system of spoils has been adopted and employed by each successive

gap between the government and the agencies. There is no “ spoils system” in Sweden in the sense of changes in

or not especially competent. Even if there is no “ spoils system” in Sweden, a rather signiﬁcant number of the

s allegiance. Almost all middle and upper administrative posts are spoils of the new government. Though protected from summary dismissal

with the occupation practice of appointing “friendly” Cubans, a Cuban spoils system operated until 1958. Its characteristics included purges of elected

to see the city’s administration as a conduit for spoils rather than as a mechanism for efﬁcient and effective

expected, but also not desirable: since the possession of power spoils necessarily the free judgment of reason.” (Translation by P.

loyalty of members of the higher-level bureaucracy. American-style spoils systems have not been universally adopted and, starting in

system. In the 1800s, the process was known as the “ spoils system.” Attributed to New York Senator William Marcy, the

debated. The nation has swung from extremes of responsiveness (unmitigated spoils) to extreme neutrality (the early twentieth century). Each time,

astutely used patronage to assure loyalty to the Union. Without spoils, it is not certain that the United States would

agenda that did not go beyond the abolition of the	spoils	system and the installation of a merit system. Wilson
system. FIGURE 10.16 This Thomas Nast political cartoon from 1877 criticizes the	spoils	system associated with President Andrew Jackson. (credit: “In memoriam—
patronage in the wake of twentieth century reform efforts. The	spoils	system came under severe criticism, even during the time
those with the foresight to support the winning candidate. The	spoils	system continued at least until 1883 when the Pendleton Act
heart of the matter was the struggle to limit the	spoils	system of rewarding political party members with government job
B. Eaton, asserted, the reformers’ most fundamental critique of the	spoils	system was that under it “we have seen a
and the quality of life. Old machine politics and the	spoils	system were blamed for every ill in society—inefﬁciency,
and was a reaction to the negative effects of the	spoils	system with its lack of competence and susceptibility to
then on, the practice that to the victors belong the	spoils	came to be established. Civil Service Reform: The assassination
sit easily with tightly disciplined political parties competing for the	spoils	of government and that, whatever their disadvantages, small
a term deriving from the phrase ‘to the victor, the	spoils’.	Spoils meant that successful candidates, including newly-elected presidents,
and interviews. Weber was aware of the drawbacks of the	spoils	system characterized by extravagant expenditure, improprieties, technical deficiencies and
of all, it reintroduced an una tantum version of the	spoils	system with regard not only to the general directors (
the dilemma was how to obtain both while eliminating the	spoils	system. Gradually, but perceptibly, the concept of merit became
goals were to smite out “evil” as personified by the	spoils	system. Viewed historically and dispassionately, one could argue that
by Lincoln Steffens (1904), these proponents of reform exposed corruption and	spoils	in major cities and in state government. The results
not been conducive to social and economic development. Patronage and	spoils	may be useful for promoting political loyalty but they
public practices, to see the insidious nature of corruption and	spoils	return in the guise of “contracting out.” Services provided
been possible through merit and professional performance, whereas patronage and	spoils	systems have had the opposite effects. However, this article
through constitutionally ordained means), each new regime with a	spoils	system or some variation of it replaces many government
numbers of appointed officials. The Mexican version of a	spoils	system thus remains attractive to a variety of political
the bureaucracy should not become politicized as happens in a	spoils	system, it is also necessary that its members should
serious challenges facing Polish politicians today. An extensive system of	spoils	has been adopted and employed by each successive
gap between the government and the agencies. There is no “	spoils	system” in Sweden in the sense of changes in
or not especially competent. Even if there is no “	spoils	system” in Sweden, a rather signiﬁcant number of the
s allegiance. Almost all middle and upper administrative posts are	spoils	of the new government. Though protected from summary dismissal
with the occupation practice of appointing “friendly” Cubans, a Cuban	spoils	system operated until 1958. Its characteristics included purges of elected
to see the city’s administration as a conduit for	spoils	rather than as a mechanism for efﬁcient and effective
expected, but also not desirable: since the possession of power	spoils	necessarily the free judgment of reason.” (Translation by P.
loyalty of members of the higher-level bureaucracy. American-style	spoils	systems have not been universally adopted and, starting in
system. In the 1800s, the process was known as the “	spoils	system.” Attributed to New York Senator William Marcy, the
debated. The nation has swung from extremes of responsiveness (unmitigated	spoils)	to extreme neutrality (the early twentieth century). Each time,
astutely used patronage to assure loyalty to the Union. Without	spoils,	it is not certain that the United States would