<Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> <P> Nepotism is based on favour granted to relatives in various fields, including business, politics, entertainment, sports, religion and other activities . The term originated with the assignment of nephews to important positions by Catholic popes and bishops . Trading parliamentary employment for favors is a modern - day example of nepotism . Criticism of nepotism, however, can be found in ancient Indian texts such as the Kural literature . </P> <P> The term comes from the Italian word nepotismo, which is based on the Latin word nepos meaning' nephew' . Since the Middle Ages and until the late 17th century, some Catholic popes and bishops, who had taken vows of chastity, and therefore usually had no legitimate offspring of their own, gave their nephews such positions of preference as were often accorded by fathers to son . </P>

Unfair advantages for members of ones own family