cronyism
KROH-nee-iz-uhm
/ˈkroʊ.ni.ɪ.zəm/
The appointment of friends and associates to positions of authority without regard to their qualifications.
Favors personal friends and loyalists; contrast with nepotism which strictly favors blood or marital relatives.
The story behind the word. Derived from 17th-century Cambridge student slang 'crony', meaning a long-time intimate friend (possibly from Greek 'kronios' meaning long-lasting). It expanded into political usage to describe rewarding loyal buddies with official roles.
Word relationships
- favoritism: Favoritism is general, while cronyism specifies favoring personal buddies.
- patronage: Patronage often involves official political support or rewards, whereas cronyism is rooted in friendship.
- impartiality: Treating all candidates equally based on objective standards.
Commonly confused with
- nepotism: Cronyism favors friends; nepotism favors family relatives.
Word family
- crony (noun): A close friend or companion.
Collocations
- cronyism and favoritism
- accused of cronyism
- blatant cronyism
- crony capitalism
Idioms & expressions
- jobs for the boys
- old boys' club
Example sentences
- "The administration faced intense backlash over cronyism after appointing key donors with no experience to lead critical agencies." Government Oversight
- "Cronyism in the boardroom led to terrible strategic decisions because no director was willing to challenge the CEO." Corporate Ethics
Memory hook
CRONY-ism gives jobs to your old CRONIES. Appointments for personal buddies.
When not to use
Do not use for family members; use 'nepotism' for relatives.
Fun facts
- The term 'crony capitalism' was coined in the late 20th century to describe economies where business success depends on close relationships with government officials.
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