The Pendleton Civil Service Act attempted to reform the spoils system, which was the act by the President to reward his followers with government jobs. The spoils system worked in all levels and branches of the government. Wherever there is an elected official with the power to choose employees for positions, there is a spoils system.
The federal government is the country's biggest employer, and elections are fought mainly to win those positions to distribute to the member of the ruling party. The Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883 made a few restraints from open patronage jobs for contributions to the party. This still continues in the upper positions like the ambassadorships.
spoil system ;)
the spoiled system
The Pendleton Act
Chester Alan Arthur was the president when the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act was passed in 1883.
Civil Service reform; in 1883, the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act was passed, as a tribute to Garfield, who had been a proponent of eliminating the patronage system and hiring people based on merit.
The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act was passed soon after the death of Garfield. This act established the civil service system as a reform for the old political patronage system that had been used to fill government positions.
to reform the civil service system
That some government jobs be filled on the basis of competitive examsThe Pendleton Civil Service Act required that people wanting government jobs had to pass certain tests. These tests were called Civil Service Exams. The Pendleton Civil Service Act also made it illegal to fire someone for openly stating their political opinions.
The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act established the merit based system of appointments which led to the decline of the spoils/patronage system. Instead of political affiliation government employees were selected by competitive exams and could not be fired based on political affiliation.
The stalwart who supported the Pendleton Act was President Chester A. Arthur. He signed the act into law in 1883, which established a merit-based civil service system in the United States. Arthur's support for the act demonstrated his commitment to civil service reform and ending the spoils system.
Pendleton Act is a law of government of USA which was established in 1883. It is also known as Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act . It established that government jobs should be given through competitive exams to those who are selected on merit and not through association with politicians and influential people.The Pendleton Act of 1883 established that jobs in government could be rewarded on merit.
Civil Service reform.