Early on, party politics saw political patronage doled out on the basis of party loyalty. This was known as what?

• A. Spoils system
• B. Merit system
• C. Open recruitment
• D. Civil service system

Answer: (A)

This is about political patronage where government jobs were given as rewards to party loyalists. This approach is known as the spoils system—the idea that whoever wins an election also wins the right to appoint supporters to offices, regardless of formal qualifications. The name comes from the notion that victory brings spoils to the victors, including government positions.

The other concepts don’t fit as well. A merit system focuses on hiring based on ability and exams, not loyalty. Open recruitment implies broad, competitive hiring processes. A civil service system refers to a professional, often merit-based bureaucracy that emerged to limit political cronyism. The spoils system best captures the idea of rewarding party loyalty with government jobs.