- Civil Service : civilian employees that work for
the federal govt.
- President only appoints the highest of these positions
(about 2,500)
- The rest of the jobs are part of the civil service
system
I. Beginnings
A. early Presidents appointed
people mostly on the basis of qualifications (with some preference for
party members)
II. The Spoils System
A. 1829: Andrew Jackson
becomes President & dismisses over 2,000 officeholders and replaced
them with Jacksonian
Democrats
B. Beginning of the SPOILS
SYSTEM - giving jobs to and favors to friends ("to the victor belongs the
spoils of the
enemy")
C. Spoils System continued
for the next 50 years, but over time it led to unqualified appointees,
inefficiency, and
corruption
III. Movement to Reform
A. 1881: Pres. Garfield
fatally shot by disappointed office seeker
B. 1883: the Pendleton Act
(Civil Service Act)
1.created the Merit System by making merit (quality) the basis of hiring
and promotion
2. divided jobs into 2 categories
a. classified: hiring based on merit; measured by civil service exam (now
90% of federal jobs)
b. unclassified: political appointment
C. 1939: Hatch Act
1. placed limits on political activities of civil servants
2. criticized as too restrictive
D. 1993: Federal Employees
Political Activities Act (new hatch act)
1. eased some of old restrictions