GED Social Studies › Interest Groups
In return for providing financial assistance to the Senator during his congressional campaign a prominent business man is able to get his son a position within the Department of Education. This arrangement is known as __________.
political patronage
meritocracy
the Coattail Effect
the Reverse-Income Effect
None of these answers is correct.
Political patronage is the term used to describe the granting of favors, passing favorable legislation, or making government appointments in exchange for financial support during a campaign. Meritocracy is fairly close to being the opposite, as it is a system whereby only the most qualified and skilled person is able to get a job.