The National Civil Service Reform League was a

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

founded in 1881 for the purpose of investigating the efficiency of the

civil service The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil service personnel hired rather than elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leadership. A civil service offic ...

. Among its founders were

George William Curtis George William Curtis (February 24, 1824 – August 31, 1892) was an American writer, reformer, public speaker, and political activist. He was an abolitionist and supporter of civil rights for African Americans and Native Americans. He also a ...

, chairman of the first

United States Civil Service Commission The United States Civil Service Commission was a government agency of the federal government of the United States. It was created to select employees of federal government on merit rather than relationships. In 1979, it was dissolved as part of ...

, and Dorman B. Eaton, principal author of the

Pendleton Civil Service Act The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act is a United States federal law passed by the 47th United States Congress and signed into law by President Chester A. Arthur on January 16, 1883. The act mandates that most positions within the Federal gover ...

(1883) and first chairman of the reconstituted commission. Largely through its influence many important civil service measures were passed. During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, its work was especially valuable in securing civil service efficiency as a factor in military success. After the signing of the armistice in November 1918, the League effected an investigation into the sources of inefficiency in the civil service at Washington, and recommended the reorganization of the

Civil Service Commission A civil service commission (also known as a Public Service Commission) is a government agency or public body that is established by the constitution, or by the legislature, to regulate the employment and working conditions of civil servants, overse ...

. It became an advocate for

civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' political freedom, freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and ...

in the 1960s, promoting "good government" which it defined as merit-based hiring and promotion of government employees at the municipal, state and federal level.Couturier, Jean J., "Civil Service Systems and Job Discrimination" p 68-72, Integrated Education, 13, 3, May-Jun 75

See also

References

Further reading