Final answer:
The illegal use of political influence for personal gain is known as graft. This practice was historically intertwined with the spoils system, which fostered corruption by prioritizing party loyalty over merit. The Civil Service Reform Act of 1883 was a response to the demand for a merit-based appointment system as an effort to combat graft.
Step-by-step explanation:
The illegal use of political influence for personal gain is called graft. This corrupt practice is often associated with machine politics, where political support is given in exchange for political favors, such as government contracts or appointments. Over time, as the negative aspects of political patronage became more apparent, there were calls for reform which eventually led to the establishment of the Civil Service Commission and the implementation of the merit-based system through the Pendleton Act, also known as the Civil Service Reform Act of 1883.
Historically, practices like the "spoils system" allocated political appointments based on party loyalty rather than merit, which contributed to graft and corruption within the political system. The individualistic political cultures emphasized the government's role as a mechanism for individual advancement rather than public service, which facilitated tolerance for political corruption.
An example of graft can be seen in the administration of President Ulysses S. Grant, where William Belknap, the Secretary of War, was involved in a scandal after accepting bribes in exchange for a government contract, highlighting the need for civil service reform.