Patronage

Generally, patronage is the act of supporting or favoring some person, group, or institution. A patronage system has different characteristics depending on the area in which it is practiced. Generally it can be described as a system where someone in a powerful position (the Patron) offers handouts in return for support.

Politics

Political leaders often have at their disposal a great deal of patronage, in the sense that they take decisions on the appointment of officials inside and outside government (for example on quangos). Patronage is therefore a recognised and legitimate power of the executive branch. In most countries it has the right to make many of appointments, some of which may be lucrative, or sinecures. In some countries, high level appointments may be reviewed by the legislature; in other countries, such as those using the Westminster system, this is not the case. Some countries, such as the United States, permit the legislature to review some appointees, but not all.

Related Topics:
Political leader - Official - Quango - Executive - Appointment - Sinecure - Legislature - Westminster system

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In politics, patronage more narrowly defined is the practice by holders of political office of appointing their followers or fellow party members to positions,. For example, those could be high-level posts such as ambassadorships, or lower-level civil service posts. Even blue-collar jobs on the government payroll may be sought after. Such overt political patronage is seen as a tool for rewarding and enforcing loyalty; loyalty is the criterion for selecting a person rather than more meritocratic considerations. The selection process, if not the competence of the person, is then, naturally seen as questionable. There is a fine line dividing this from rewarding supporters corruptly with government contracts.

Related Topics:
Politics - Ambassadorship - Civil service - Blue-collar job - Meritocratic

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Patronage can consequently be seen as one of the possible major deficiencies of a system of excess bureaucracy, defined as a system with a weak bureaucratic structure, the availability of large public resources to the Patron, and that these public resources be easily divisible in order to target specific groups and individuals.

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Nepotism and cronyism are more specific types of patronage.

Related Topics:
Nepotism - Cronyism

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See also: political machine, Patronage in the Gilded Age

Related Topics:
Political machine - Patronage in the Gilded Age

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Patronage in the Gilded Age

In the United States during the Gilded Age, patronage became a central issue, due to bipartisan agreement on national issues and political decadence.

Related Topics:
United States - Gilded Age

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Republican Senator Roscoe Conkling of New York became a powerful political figure by determining who in the party would gain certain lucrative positions. Conkling and his supporters were known as Stalwarts. Their rivals for patronage were called Halfbreeds. Those who abstained from the patronage conflicts were referred to as Mugwumps - their "mug" on one side of the fence, their "wump" on the other.

Related Topics:
Republican - Senator - Roscoe Conkling - New York - Stalwart - Mugwumps

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When James Garfield became President, he appointed Halfbreeds to most offices (despite the appointment of Stalwart Chester A. Arthur to the role of Vice President, which was a compromise within the Republican Party). This provoked the ire of the Stalwarts. Charles J. Guiteau, a Stalwart, assassinated Garfield in 1881, 6 months after he became President.

Related Topics:
James Garfield - President - Chester A. Arthur - Vice President - Charles J. Guiteau - 1881

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To prevent further political violence, and in response to public outrage, Congress passed the Pendleton Act in 1881, which set up the Civil Service Commission. Henceforth, applicants for most federal government jobs would have to pass an examination. Federal politicians' influence over bureaucratic appointments waned, and patronage declined as a national political issue.

Related Topics:
Pendleton Act - Civil Service Commission

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