Spoils System & the Merit System

By definition, the Spoils System is the practice of a successful political party giving public office to its supporters. The Merit System, by definition, is the process of promoting and hiring government employees based on their ability to perform a job, rather than on their political connections. Initially, it is the opposite of the Spoils System. Our country seems to have progressed by getting rid of the Spoils System today. As a whole, we have created a more democratic society by removing ways to create a majority in the government without the people's consent. We have realized that the spoils system is not an effective way to run the country as well. Most government officials, however, got their jobs based on previous experience, or their ability to do that job. The spoils system was not an evenhanded way to run the country. Once people realized this, they stopped using the spoils system. Since then the government has been working and functioning better. In quote, why and how the Merit System was created is as states, "The merit system uses educational and occupational qualifications, testing, and job performance as criteria for selecting, hiring, and promoting civil servants. It began in the federal government circa 1883. The merit system was established to improve parts of the governmental work force previously staffed by the political patronage or spoils system, which allowed the political party in power the opportunity to reward party regulars with government positions. The merit system has been adopted by state and local governments as well." In light of the research I have conducted to find if the Spoils System is still used today, I have found that here and there the Spoils System still makes itself present in some instances. For example, in the article I found titled "Obama's Racial Spoils System" it talks about how Obama has racial views in trying to achieve things he believes is beneficial to our society. The article also provides evidence from Obama's speeches that prove he uses the Spoils System. In my personal opinion, the Spoils System should not exist in the slightest. It should only be the Merit System simply because it has proven to be effective for our government. 




Works Cited:
http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Merit+System
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2011/08/obamas_racial_spoils_system.html