placeman
Patronage job holder
A placeman is someone appointed to a government position as a political reward rather than for merit or qualifications.
The term is derogatory, suggesting the person serves as a loyal supporter rather than a competent administrator: The cabinet was filled with placemen who owed their positions to party loyalty.
The word is more common in British than American English.
Paid position requiring nothing
- cronyismFavoring friends in appointments
- nepotismPreferring kin in hiring
- favoritismPreferential treatment of some
- spoilsSeized war gains
backscratching · corruption · graft · kickbacks · logrolling · party loyalist · reward · benefice
Minor administrative worker
- civil servantGovernment administration employee
- officeholderElected or appointed official
- public servantGovernment worker serving citizens
- administratorPerson who manages operations
clerk · appointee · bureaucrat · time-server · paper-pusher · petty official · government employee · rubber-stamp
sinecure
Paid position requiring nothing
- cronyismFavoring friends in appointments
- nepotismPreferring kin in hiring
- favoritismPreferential treatment of some
spoils · backscratching · corruption · graft · kickbacks · logrolling · party loyalist · reward · benefice · emolument
functionary
Minor administrative worker
- civil servantGovernment administration employee
- officeholderElected or appointed official
- public servantGovernment worker serving citizens
administrator · clerk · appointee · bureaucrat · time-server · paper-pusher · petty official · government employee · rubber-stamp · figurehead
partisan
Biased toward one side
- hackShortcut or breach
- apparatchikBlindly devoted official
- machine politicianParty operative controlling votes
toady · lackey · stooge · puppet · minion · henchman · flunky · sycophant · acolyte · creature
placemanmeritocrat
One advanced by ability
technocrat · self-made man · professional · civil servant · expert
placemanreformer
Agent of institutional improvement
whistleblower · public servant · maverick · incorruptible · gadfly
- placement testExam determining appropriate level
- job placement servicesAssistance finding employment
- product placementMarketing within entertainment content
- job placementMatching workers to positions
- placement examsTests determining skill level
- work placementSupervised job-based learning period
placement, replacement, displacement, replacements, misplacement