spoils system
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What is the spoils system in politics?
The spoils system is a practice where a political party, upon winning an election, rewards its campaign workers and active supporters with government posts and other favors. Senator William Marcy of New York popularized the term in 1832, defending President Andrew Jackson's appointments by declaring, "To the victor belong the spoils of the enemy".
While proponents argue it maintains an active party organization and ensures loyal employees, the spoils system often leads to appointments based on party needs rather than qualifications. The Pendleton Federal Civil Service Act of 1883 initiated civil-service reforms to award jobs based on merit, diminishing the spoils system's prevalence at various government levels by the late 20th century.
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How did the spoils system work in the United States government?
The spoils system in the United States rewarded political supporters with government positions after an election victory. Championed by Andrew Jackson, it aimed to replace entrenched elites with ordinary citizens. Senator William Marcy defended it in 1832, saying, "to the victor belong the spoils".
While proponents argued it maintained an active party and ensured loyal employees, the system often led to unqualified appointments based on party needs, causing inefficiency. The Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883 was enacted to address these abuses, establishing a merit-based system for federal employment and curbing the spoils system's influence.
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Why was the spoils system introduced?
The spoils system was introduced to reward loyal workers with government positions and ensure the ruling party had supportive employees, which was thought to make the government more effective because officeholders were invested in helping elected officials fulfill their promises. Senator William Marcy of New York popularized the term in 1832 when he defended one of President Andrew Jackson’s appointments, saying, “To the victor belong the spoils of the enemy”.
However, the spoils system led to unqualified individuals being appointed based on party needs rather than their ability to perform the job. The Pendleton Federal Civil Service Act of 1883 was eventually passed to address these abuses by awarding jobs based on merit.
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Who was most famous for using the spoils system?
While the term "spoils system" was made famous by Senator William Marcy of New York in 1832, it was President Andrew Jackson who became most associated with the practice.
Jackson's supporters used the phrase "rotation in office" to describe their aim to remove entrenched elites. About 10% of the federal workforce was replaced by Jackson loyalists. Opponents, however, denounced this "rotation in office" as a "spoils system". The phrase "to the victor belongs the spoils" became associated with this practice.
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What were some problems caused by the spoils system?
The spoils system, which became famous in 1832 through a statement by Senator William Marcy, involved rewarding political supporters with government positions. While proponents argued it maintained party organization and guaranteed loyal employees, the spoils system led to several problems.
Appointments were often based on party needs rather than qualifications, leading to inefficiency. Extensive personnel changes, such as the replacement of 31,000 postmasters in a single year, further contributed to governmental inefficiency. Additionally, the spoils system was susceptible to corruption, partisanship, and abuses of political power, including the siphoning of public funds. One example of misconduct was Samuel Swartwout, a Jackson supporter, who stole over one million dollars while serving as Collector of the Port of New York.
The Pendleton Federal Civil Service Act of 1883 was eventually passed to address these issues, establishing a merit system for federal appointments.
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How did reforms change or end the spoils system in the U.S.?
The spoils system, which rewarded political supporters with government posts, diminished due to civil service reforms that prioritized merit over political affiliation. The Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883 was a crucial piece of legislation that established a merit-based system for federal employment, administered by a Civil Service Commission. This act ensured open selection of government employees and the right of citizens to compete for federal positions regardless of politics, religion, race, or origin. By the late 20th century, merit systems had largely replaced the spoils system at the federal, state, and city levels.
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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 favours. The spoils system involves political activity by public employees in support of their party and the employees’ removal from office if their party loses the election. A change in party control of government necessarily brings new officials to high positions carrying political responsibility, but the spoils system extends personnel turnover down to routine or subordinate governmental positions.
The term was in use in American politics as early as 1812, but it was made famous in a speech made in 1832 by Senator William Marcy of New York. In defending one of President Andrew Jackson’s appointments, Marcy said, “To the victor belong the spoils of the enemy.” In Marcy’s time, the term spoils referred to the political appointments, such as cabinet offices or ambassadorships, controlled by an elected official.
Arguments in favour of the spoils system defend it as a means of maintaining an active party organization by offering loyal workers occupational rewards. It also guarantees the ruling party loyal and cooperative employees. Supporters of the practice claim this results in more effective government because the appointed officeholders have a stake in helping the elected official to carry out his policies and fulfill his campaign promises.
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On the other hand, the spoils system too often resulted in appointments that were based strictly on the needs of the party, without regard for the appointee’s qualifications or ability to do the job. Extensive changes in positions that did not affect government policy, such as President Benjamin Harrison’s changing 31,000 postmasters in one year, also led to inefficiency.
The spoils system flourished unchallenged in the United States from the 1820s until after the Civil War, at which time the system’s abuses prompted civil-service reforms designed to cut down the number of government posts filled by appointment and to award jobs on the basis of merit. The Pendleton Federal Civil Service Act of 1883 provided the initial basis for the adoption of the merit system in the recruitment of federal officials, and by the late 20th century merit systems had almost completely replaced the spoils system at the federal, state, and city levels of government.
In addition to designating the awarding of public offices to party supporters, the term has come to refer to other abuses of political power designed to benefit and enrich the ruling party. These practices may involve, for example, siphoning public funds to the party by contracting with party contributors to handle public projects at inflated rates or by granting public franchises to party contributors at very low prices. The term also includes favouring supporters in areas like the prosecution of law cases, the placement of insurance policies, or the levying of taxes.
Although spoils system is an American political term, the practice of distributing public offices to reward supporters and strengthen a government is and has been common in many other countries as well.
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