Rutan v. Republican Party of Illinois

Rutan was a further blow to the patronage system at all levels of government.

During most of the nineteenth century, American politicians followed the maxim, "To the victor belong the spoils." When a political party took control of a government, it appointed its loyal supporters throughout the bureaucracy. This "spoils system," also called patronage, helped parties earn money, as people who wanted government jobs contributed campaign funds, and sometimes even kicked back part of their pay to the party. Patronage, however, also led to illiterate clerks filling low-level jobs, and other incompetence at all levels of government.

Criticism of patronage grew, and in 1883 the first Civil Service Act was passed. To obtain most federal jobs, prospective employees now had to take an exam to show they were qualified. Test scores, not political affiliation, assured a job. Only high-level officials were appointed by government leaders, based on party loyalty. Over the years, civil service reform spread to state and local governments, and Congress passed a major Civil Service Act as recently as 1978.

Despite these reforms, issues about government hiring practices and party affiliation still stirred controversy. In 1980, Illinois governor Jim Thompson, a Republican, ordered a hiring freeze for government workers. When an existing job had to be filled, because of death, resignation, or the like, Thompson's office approved every new hire. This system might not have caused a problem, except that support of the Republican party seemed to be the major criterion for getting a state job.