<P> The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act ( ch. 27 , 22 Stat. 403 ) is a United States federal law , enacted in 1883 , which established that positions within the federal government should be awarded on the basis of merit instead of political affiliation . The act provided selection of government employees by competitive exams , rather than ties to politicians or political affiliation . It also made it illegal to fire or demote government officials for political reasons and prohibited soliciting campaign donations on Federal government property . To enforce the merit system and the judicial system , the law also created the United States Civil Service Commission . This board would be in charge of determining the rules and regulations of the act . The Act also allowed for the president , by executive order to decide which positions could be subject to the act and which would not . A crucial result was the shift of the parties to reliance on funding from business , since they could no longer depend on patronage hopefuls . </P>
<P> The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act ( ch. 27 , 22 Stat. 403 ) is a United States federal law , enacted in 1883 , which established that positions within the federal government should be awarded on the basis of merit instead of political affiliation . The act provided selection of government employees by competitive exams , rather than ties to politicians or political affiliation . It also made it illegal to fire or demote government officials for political reasons and prohibited soliciting campaign donations on Federal government property . To enforce the merit system and the judicial system , the law also created the United States Civil Service Commission . This board would be in charge of determining the rules and regulations of the act . The Act also allowed for the president , by executive order to decide which positions could be subject to the act and which would not . A crucial result was the shift of the parties to reliance on funding from business , since they could no longer depend on patronage hopefuls . </P>
the civil service act in 1883 was enacted to counter
the civil service act in 1883 was enacted to counter
political affiliation
political affiliation