cronyism
Hiring your pals
Cronyism is the practice of favoring friends and associates, especially in political appointments or business dealings.
A leader who fills positions with loyal pals rather than qualified candidates practices cronyism.
The word carries strong negative connotations—it suggests corruption, incompetence, and closed circles of power: The administration was plagued by cronyism and nepotism.
Unfair inclination or prejudice
- partialityUnfair favor toward some
- preferentialGiven special advantage
- unfairnessUnjust or biased treatment
- inequityUnfair distribution or treatment
discrimination · insider · privilege · exclusivity · one-sidedness · partisanship · friends · pals
Illicit political gain
- briberyCorrupt payment for influence
- kickbacksIllegal return payments
- embezzlementFraudulent taking of entrusted assets
- collusionFraudulent secret cooperation
malfeasance · under-the-table · backroom · sleaze · misconduct · profiteering · exploitation · loopholes
Trading favors mutually
- benefactorOne who gives aid
- sponsorFunder of activities
- protegeOne receiving expert guidance
- mentorshipGuidance from experienced person
endorsement · lobbying · appointment · sinecure · confidant · supporter · payback · rewarding
Superior select group
- plutocracyRule by the rich
- aristocracyRule by hereditary elite
- oligarchMember of small ruling class
- tycoonDominant industrial leader
elitism · establishment · power-brokers · corporatocracy · kleptocracy · autocracy · strongman
Relationships between things
- contactsPeople you know professionally
- insidersThose with special access
- circleCurved closed shape
- associatesConnected persons or links
colleagues · alliance · membership · relationships · access · schmoozing · glad-handing · well-connected
Related people together
- relativesThose connected by blood
- kinshipState of being related
- dynastySuccessive family rulers
- bloodlineAncestry through generations
lineage · clan · inheritance · succession · birthright · siblings · ancestry · descendants
bias
Unfair inclination or prejudice
- partialityUnfair favor toward some
- preferentialGiven special advantage
- unfairnessUnjust or biased treatment
inequity · discrimination · insider · privilege · exclusivity · one-sidedness · partisanship · friends · pals · buddies
graft
Illicit political gain
- briberyCorrupt payment for influence
- kickbacksIllegal return payments
- embezzlementFraudulent taking of entrusted assets
collusion · malfeasance · under-the-table · backroom · sleaze · misconduct · profiteering · exploitation · loopholes · shady
backscratching
Trading favors mutually
- benefactorOne who gives aid
- sponsorFunder of activities
- protegeOne receiving expert guidance
mentorship · endorsement · lobbying · appointment · sinecure · confidant · supporter · payback · rewarding · allies
elite
Superior select group
- plutocracyRule by the rich
- aristocracyRule by hereditary elite
- oligarchMember of small ruling class
tycoon · elitism · establishment · power-brokers · corporatocracy · kleptocracy · autocracy · strongman
connections
Relationships between things
associates · colleagues · alliance · membership · relationships · access · schmoozing · glad-handing · well-connected · string-pulling
family
Related people together
bloodline · lineage · clan · inheritance · succession · birthright · siblings · ancestry · descendants · legacy
- corruptioncorruption, graft, kickbacks, bribery, bribes
- social wrongsrudeness, disrespect, insults, insult, lying
- unfairnessunfair, unjust, biased, unequal, inequitable
- anticorruptionanti-graft, ethics commission, ethics committee, financial disclosure, graft
- Corporate Powerlobbying, lobbyist, lobbyists, monopoly, oligarchy
- elite networksold boys network, old boys club, inner circle, inner circles, nepotism
cronyismmeritocracy
Advancement through demonstrated ability
merit-based selection · merit system · open competition · standardized testing · civil service examination
cronyismimpartiality
Freedom from prejudice
fairness · transparency · good governance · integrity · accountability
cronyismpublic interest
Societal welfare and benefit
disinterestedness · civic duty · professionalism · objectivity · impersonality