
A Blueprint for an Automated Compliance Program: Third Edition
Few compliance programs harness automation to its full potential. Learn how you can drive impact with every process by infusing technology where it matters most.
Under the United States constitution, the President is empowered to appoint Federal judges, foreign ambassadors, cabinet officers, military officers, and many other high-level government officials. When these appointments are awarded on a partisan basis, to individuals who have politically supported the governing party, we observe a practice known as political patronage.
Political patronage is the practice of dispensing state resources as a reward for political and electoral support. State resources can include lucrative public sector contracts or a prestigious role in the civil service.
An act of political patronage requires two parties: a patron who can use their influence to assist, protect, or benefit someone else, and a client, who receives benefits from the patron in exchange for political allegiance or some other service.
Some nations follow a political “spoils system” where the practice of political patronage is normalized and the winning party in an election is expected to give civil service jobs to its friends, relatives, and supporters. Nations with more stringent anti-corruption controls and standards are likely to follow a merit-based system, requiring civil servants to pass through a fair hiring process and demonstrate genuine competency to perform the duties of their role.
Political patronage is common in regions with a legacy of tribalism and localized power structures. It is often accompanied by other corrupt acts, such as nepotism (favoritism toward family members), cronyism (favoritism toward friends), or trading in influence.
We can point to several examples of political patronage, both in the United States and around the world:
Political patronage in the United States is not itself an illegal act, but it may give the appearance of corruption or involve other corrupt and unethical practices. Political patronage varies around in the world in terms of its presence and perception in the political process.
Some have argued that political patronage is a necessary part of generating the social capital needed to build successful coalitions in a democratic political system. Critics of political patronage have argued that it leads citizens to doubt whether the government is appointing the most qualified people to the public service and diminishes faith in public institutions.
Few compliance programs harness automation to its full potential. Learn how you can drive impact with every process by infusing technology where it matters most.