Nepotism

Benjamin Harrison, treasurer of Guy's Hospital in London, was shown as a dominant presiding figure, with the nepotism of Sir Astley Cooper having his tacit approval.

Nepotism is the act of granting an advantage, privilege, or position to relatives or friends in an occupation or field - for instance business, politics, academia, entertainment, religion or health care. In concept it is similar to cronyism.[1][2] The term originated with the assignment of nephews, sons, or other relatives to important positions by Catholic popes and bishops.[3] It has often been witnessed in autocracies, whereby traditional aristocracies usually contested amongst themselves in order to obtain leverage, status, etc.

Nepotism has been criticized since ancient history by philosophers including Aristotle, Valluvar, and Confucius, condemning it as both evil and unwise.[4]

  1. ^ "nepotism". NEPOTISM | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary. Cambridge Dictionary. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  2. ^ "nepotism". Dictionary.com. Archived from the original on 16 May 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  3. ^ "nepotism". New Catholic Dictionary. Archived from the original on 24 February 2007.
  4. ^ Sundaram, P. S. (1990). Tiruvalluvar: The Kural (First ed.). Gurgaon: Penguin Books. p. 12. ISBN 978-0-14-400009-8.