Nepotism
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Nepotism refers to the act of favoring relatives because of their relationship rather than because of their abilities. The word nepotism comes from the Latin word 'nepos', meaning "nephew" or "grandchild".
The popular British English expression "Bob's your uncle" is often thought to have originated when Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury promoted his nephew, Arthur Balfour, to the esteemed post of Chief Secretary for Ireland in what was widely seen as an act of nepotism.
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[edit] Anti-nepotism laws
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Most European and North American countries have made nepotism a legal offense through anti-nepotism laws.[citations needed]
[edit] Papal nepotism
In the Middle Ages, some Catholic popes and bishops, who had taken vows of chastity, and therefore usually had no children of their own, gave their nephews positions of preference such as were often accorded by fathers to sons. Several popes are known to have elevated nephews and other relatives to the cardinalate. Often, such appointments were used as a means of continuing a papal "dynasty". For instance, Pope Callixtus III, of the Borgia family, made two of his nephews Cardinals; one of them, Rodrigo, later used his position as a Cardinal as a stepping stone to the papacy, becoming Pope Alexander VI. Coincidentally, Alexander—one of the most corrupt popes—elevated Alessandro Farnese, his mistress's brother, to the cardinalate; Farnese would later go on to become Pope Paul III. Paul also engaged in nepotism, appointing, for instance, two nephews (aged fourteen and sixteen) Cardinals. The practice was finally ended when Pope Innocent XII issued a bull in 1692. The papal bull prohibited popes in all times from bestowing estates, offices, or revenues on any relative, with the exception that one qualified relative (at most) could be made a Cardinal.
[edit] Examples
Nepotism is a common accusation in politics when the relative of a powerful figure ascends to similar power seemingly without appropriate qualifications. For example, when U.S. Senator Frank Murkowski, was elected Governor of Alaska, he appointed his daughter, State Representative Lisa Murkowski, to fill the remaining two years of his seat and was accused by some of nepotism. (Murkowski won reelection on her own in 2004.) John F. Kennedy was accused of nepotism for his appointment of his brother Robert Kennedy as Attorney General.
Families elsewhere have also dominated politics of their homeland, such as Tun Abdul Razak, the second Prime Minister of Malaysia, and his son, Najib Tun Razak, the current Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia. Many countries in Asia have this tilt towards dynastic rule. In India, the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty has been ruling India for the most part since Independence while other people in various states in India have always given preference to their kith and kin. In the Indian state of Bihar, the former Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav, In Romania nepotism is very commonly used as a word describing a 'connection' (relationship) that allows a person to obtain a certain job. 'Nepot' in Romanian means "nephew". During communist rule, nepotism was often the only way of getting a good, well-paid job.
[edit] References
- American Calendar (Fall 1973) in American Quarterly 25.4 (Oct. 1973):493-96.
- "Privilege in America: Who's Shutting You Out?--On a Special Two-Hour '20/20,' Friday, November 3. Press release. ABC November 2, 2006. Accessed November 20, 2006.
