The Loot System rewards loyal party supporters with government positions, but it has been heavily criticized for giving presidents too much power and excluding talented individuals. The civil service was introduced to provide fairer government based on merit, and most government positions now fall within this framework. While the president still appoints some people, merit is an important consideration in their selection.
The Loot System is a political patronage system in which loyal party supporters are rewarded with key government positions when a party wins office or takes a majority in the legislature. Political advocacy of this nature can be seen in many nations, even if it occurs at a much lower level than it once did. In the United States, where the term originates, the president still retains the ability to appoint people to a few key “prunes” in the administration as in the old spoiler system, but for the most part people must win political positions on merit.
When President Andrew Jackson was elected in 1828, members of the opposition party feared the flood of nominations he would make, and their fears proved to be well founded. “To the winner belongs the spoil,” said a famous Jackson supporter, and President Jackson nominated people primarily on the basis of loyalty to him and the Democratic Party, rather than because he thought they were particularly suited to their positions.
As the 1800s wore on, people began protesting the loot system. They argued that it gave presidents a tremendous amount of power, as they could essentially build an entire government of supporters and use it to exert far more control than the Constitution mandated. Additionally, highly eligible and talented individuals with credit for succeeding in appointed positions were excluded because they did not demonstrate sufficient party loyalty. The ability to literally buy assignments, such as ambassadors, in the spoiler was also heavily criticized.
Fighting this and other ethically contested political practices, lawyers set about ushering in the civil service. Under the civil service, all government positions are open to anyone. To apply, people must pass a standardized exam. The recruitment process goes on with people passing the exam, with the government interviewing them for positions and selecting people based on merit. Merit is also the key to promotion in the civil service.
A series of pieces of legislation, including the Hatch Act of 1939, were passed to bring down the loot system and provide fairer government. In the United States today, most government positions fall within the civil service framework. While the president appoints some people, they must go through a confirmation process and merit is an important consideration in their selection. A handful of nominees are indeed rewarded for loyal party service and campaign assistance, but these numbers are small.
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