Rebirth of Patranoge

Commentary

The Rebirth of Patronage

Have We Come Full Circle?

MARY K. FEENEY AND GORDON KINGSLEY Abstract

Current trends in the U.S. political system threaten an increase in patronage and a return to the political problems of the 1800s. Modern-day patronage is strongly related to two popular efforts to reform government: the rollback of the civil service system and the privatization of government services. These reforms, aimed at reducing the negative outcomes of bureaucracy, have had the unfortunate outcome of eliminating policies designed to protect civil servants from patronage politics and thus of ultimately reducing democratic accountability. Whether the main cause is forgetfulness about the past or simply the application of misguided principles, the dismantling of the civil service and increasing reliance on private contractors can endanger public values and the ability to engage in a thoughtful debate about public values. Professionalism in government—including civil service, open competition for jobs and contracts, and merit systems—remains the most effective and just means for combating patronage and identifying talented, dedicated public servants and contractors. For many Americans “patronage” is an outdated term that conjures up images of Andrew Jackson, Tammany Hall, and machine politics. The nineteenth-century version of patronage, when an elected official appointed friends and supporters to desirable government posts, was often referred to as the spoils system, a term derived from the idea that to the victor (and the victor’s friends) belong the spoils of political success. Back then, obtaining and retaining a post in the public sector required loyalty to a powerful executive or a political party. Loyalty was demonstrated by making financial contributions to the party, campaigning for its candidates, or bringing in votes. This behavior may seem all too familiar, but today patronage is often disguised with a more benign term, “partisanship,” or...