Before the establishment of the civil service system in 1883, the federal government relied on the spoils system, also known as the patronage system, to staff the bureaucracy. Under this system, political supporters of the winning party would be rewarded with government appointments, regardless of their qualifications or experience. This often led to corruption, inefficiency, and incompetence, as unqualified individuals were placed in important government positions. The spoils system was widely criticized for its negative impact on the government's ability to function effectively and fairly, and it was eventually replaced by the merit-based civil service system.