Modern presidents like Reagan and Clinton used the spoils system to hold bureaucracies accountable and put their own ideological stamp on policies.

Trump wants the federal government to be more immediately responsive to his political aims, and there have been comparisons to the spoils system put in place by his presidential hero, Andrew Jackson.

ANDREW JACKSON CHIDED; A NOTEWORTHY LETTER FROM MRS. MARY BARNEY. THE SPOILS SYSTEM IN POLITICS ELOQUENTLY ANIMADVERTED UPON BYONE OF ITS VICTIMS.

In defending one of President Andrew Jackson ’s appointments, Marcy said, “To the victor belong the spoils of the enemy.” ...

Spoils System University of Richmond history professor Eric Yellin talked about the spoils system that existed before the formation of the modern day civil service. This discussion was part of the ...

The degrading spectacle presented at Columbus to-day is only another of the innumerable arguments against the old spoils system.

See an archive of all spoils system stories published on Intelligencer.

The U.S. is witnessing in these last couple of weeks with the firings of civil servants is an attempt to return to the old spoils system begun under Andrew Jackson in which workers were hired and ...

This abuse, known as a spoils system, was rampant in the federal government until it was ended by the Pendleton Act in 1883. Most federal employees are now hired based on merit, not party connections.

Spoils had restraints imposed by a modern Madisonian system which disincentivized bad behavior by presidents and their appointees.

Trump wants the federal government to be more immediately responsive to his political aims, and there have been comparisons to the spoils system put in place by his presidential hero, Andrew Jackson.