Question

Three fundamental elements of the civil service system are _____.

a. Political neutrality, at-will employment, and partisanship.
b. Merit-based hiring, political accountability, and patronage.
c. Merit-based hiring, job security, and nonpartisanship.
d. At-will employment, patronage, and job security.

Answer 1

The three fundamental elements of the civil service system are merit-based hiring, job security, and nonpartisanship, which replaced the spoils system with a focus on qualifications and reduced the influence of politics in government employment.

Step-by-step explanation:

Three fundamental elements of the civil service system are merit-based hiring, job security, and nonpartisanship. These elements emerged from a historical context where the spoils system allowed for political appointments based on party loyalty.

The Pendleton Act of 1883 was instrumental in shifting towards a merit-based civil service system, where hiring was based on knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) relevant to the job, rather than political affiliations. The act also contributed to transforming bureaucracies and reducing the impact of politics on civil service by making it illegal to fire or punish government workers for political reasons, requiring applicants to demonstrate competence through examinations, and establishing the United States Civil Service Commission to oversee these reforms.