The seventh president of the United States, Andrew Jackson belongs to the most revered historical figures in America, and his political course is recognized as good for the time. Nowadays, some of the practices that Jackson implemented are actively used in politics. For example, Jackson’s presidency began with a purge of the state apparatus. Dismissals and new appointments were made along party lines, and the loyalty of the head of state himself was emphasized. Contemporaries were quick to rightly refer to Jackson’s removals and appointments as “political booty”. The practice of “political booty sharing” by the winning party and its presidential nominee became firmly entrenched in America. The President’s personnel policy was primarily opposed by the U.S. Senate, where the Whigs retained significant influence. Jackson responded by saying that not only the Court but also the President had the right to judge whether laws passed by Congress were consistent with the Constitution; Jackson methodically vetoed bills in Congress. This formula has since been actively used in confrontations with lawmakers.
Jackson went down in history as a strong president and was even nicknamed “King Andrew”. He pursued his policy with a firm hand: he shook up the state apparatus, blocked unacceptable congressional decisions with a veto. He facilitated access to western lands for ordinary Americans and was generally very consistent in his advocacy of equal economic opportunity. He always tried to create the image of a “people’s president” and therefore had the right to oppose his will to all authorities. To the end of his days, he remained an expansionist, convincing himself and others that expansionism embodied the highest good for the people and the nation.