Final answer:
The civil service merit system was intended to reduce political patronage by ensuring that government jobs were awarded based on merit, as opposed to political connections.
Step-by-step explanation:
Merit-Based Civil Service System
The civil service merit system was designed to reduce the practice of political patronage, also known as the spoils system, where jobs were awarded based on political connections rather than on individual merit and qualifications. The landmark Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act of 1883 marked a turning point by establishing the Civil Service Commission, which laid the foundation for a merit-based selection process. This system prioritized hiring and promoting individuals in the civil service based on their knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs), with the aim of fostering efficiency and protecting employees from managerial abuse.
By severing the ties between job security and political affiliation, the merit-based system encouraged a more professional and impartial civil service, where appointments were no longer tied to the ebbs and flows of political fortune. This fundamental shift sought to create a bureaucracy that selected and retained employees based on their fitness for the job, rather than their loyalty to a political party or figure. Over time, this not only improved the quality and reliability of government services but also helped to insulate civil servants from the destabilizing effects of political changes.