American Government › Section O · The bureaucracy › Topic O.2
Toward a merit-based civil service
For half a century, losing an election could cost a federal clerk a job. A president's murder helped change that. This topic follows the shift from patronage to merit, and the continuing argument over how far career officials should be shielded from the politicians they serve.
In this topic
- A shot in a railway station
- The Pendleton Act of 1883
- Worked example: why reform passed in 1883
- Keeping politics out
- The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978
- Three kinds of federal job
- How merit hiring works
- The General Schedule
- Worked example: a GS-7 career
- Merit's trade-offs today
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
This topic is part of Wuanberri Pro. Checking your access…