The two were interdependent: as long as the public servant participated in politics he would look to his patron or party for reward; and when his party was unsuccessful the opponents would "punish" him and reward their own partisans with public office.
Une de ses formes, signalée aux États-Unis, est la masse*, c’est-à-dire une cotisation systématique prélevée sur les appointements des personnes nommées à des postes par le parti au pouvoir.