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patronage

patronage

13 7.4
A government gives jobs or favors to supporters in return for political help
  • noun
  • /ˈpeɪtrənɪdʒ/
  • Formal
translation icon : clientelismo
  • Many politicians rely on patronage to maintain their influence within the community by rewarding their supporters.
  • political patronage
  • patronage jobs
  • patronage system

And his mother, the Queen strips him of his military titles and royal patronages, effectively sending her son into exile.

Examples

  • The mayor used his patronage power to distribute contracts to businesses that supported his campaign.

  • Government agencies are often accused of granting patronage jobs to loyal supporters instead of hiring the most qualified candidates.

  • There has never been a wall of separation between Bloomberg's private patronage and his political machine.

    Academic text (2011)

  • From beginning to end, client governments were dependent on great-power patronage and protection.

    Academic text (2011)

  • In addition, the army commander bypassed the city government and removed traditional patronage powers by taking over officer appointments.

    Academic text (1990)

  • Political life was a politics of patronage and clientelism, of spoils and corruption.

    Academic text (1993)

  • Environmentalists also point to government mismanagement, patronage, and corruption in the environmental arena.

    Academic text (1991)

  • But Chiang, confident of U.S. patronage, refused compromise, opting for military victory.

    Academic text (1991)

  • I have explained to Mr. Bilbo and Mr. Latham that we are offering patronage jobs to the Dems who vote yes.

    Lincoln (2012)

  • The flabby civil service will be trimmed, and Mr. Mugabe's vast patronage machine dismantled.

    Fiction book (2002)

Synonyms

favoritism
vspatronage
  • US
23 3.9

Giving one person or group better treatment than others

is specifically about political jobs contracts and favors for supporters
cronyism
vspatronage
  • Literature
15 8.4

Giving jobs or positions to friends instead of qualified people

is based on giving jobs or favors in return for political support
spoils system
vspatronage
1 8.5

Giving government jobs to supporters of the winning party

covers jobs contracts and other favors beyond just public appointments
clientelism
vspatronage
  • Specialized
9.5

A system where people in power give jobs or money to supporters for loyalty

focuses on giving jobs and contracts specifically for political support

Antonyms

disfavor
4 6.2

Lack of public support or approval

How Corrupt

cronyism
  • Literature
15 8.4
nepotism
20 7.2
patronage
  • Formal
13 7.4
partisanship
65 7.4
integrity
447 4.3

Surface Forms

patronage singular
patronages plural

Morphology

patronage = patron (semi-transparent) = patron + age

The form is clearly related to 'patron', but the political sense is a specialized extension that is not fully predictable from the parts alone.

Etymology

Patronage comes from patron, from the Latin patronus meaning 'protector' and related to pater 'father'. In politics this idea grew into giving jobs or favors to people who support you, so patronage means the practice of rewarding supporters with jobs, contracts, or other help.