Old boy network
In the southern United States, the good ol' boy network refers to informal social, religious, business, and political associations among Southern gentlemen (the "good ol' boys"). In most rural areas of the South and even in many large cities, the good ol' boy network still exerts considerable influence over many aspects of business and law enforcement.
In the United Kingdom an old boy network refers directly to social and business associations among former pupils of top independent secondary schools (known as public schools), and indirectly to preservation of social elites over time without regard to merit.
