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Did the Pendleton Act work?
The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act is a United States federal law passed by the 47th United States Congress and signed into law by President Chester A. Arthur on January 16, 1883….Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act.
| Citations | |
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| Statutes at Large | ch. 27, 22 Stat. 403 |
| Legislative history |
What is the Pendleton system?
The Pendleton Act provided that Federal Government jobs be awarded on the basis of merit and that Government employees be selected through competitive exams. The act also made it unlawful to fire or demote for political reasons employees who were covered by the law.
How did the Pendleton Act change civil service?
The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act provided for selection of some government employees by competitive exams rather than ties to politicians, and made it illegal to fire or demote some government officials for political reasons.
What did the Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883 do?
spoils system. The Pendleton Federal Civil Service Act of 1883 provided the initial basis for the adoption of the merit system in the recruitment of federal officials, and by the late 20th century merit systems had almost completely replaced the spoils system at the federal, state, and city…. George Pendleton.
What was the impact of the Pendleton Act?
Although state patronage systems and numerous federal positions were unaffected by the law, Karabell argues that the Pendleton Act was instrumental in the creation of a professional civil service and the rise of the modern bureaucratic state.
What was Dorman Eaton’s role in the Pendleton Act?
The role played by Dorman Eaton was highly unusual: he was an advocate for civil service reform, drafted the law pertaining to it, and was ultimately given the job of seeing to its enforcement. The new law originally affected about 10 percent of the federal workforce, and had no impact on state and local offices.
When did civil service reform become an issue?
After Pres. James A. Garfield was assassinated in 1881 by a disappointed office seeker, civil service reform became a leading issue in the midterm elections of 1882.