An old boy network (also known as old boys' network, ol' boys club, old boys' club, or old boys' society) can refer to social and business connections among former pupils of male-only elite schools. The term originated from much of the British upper-class having attended certain public schools as boys, thus former pupils are "old boys".
This can apply to the network between the graduates of a single school regardless of their gender. It is also known as an old boys' society and is similar to an alumni association. It can also mean a network of social and business connections among the alumni of various prestigious schools. In popular language, old boy network or old boys' society has come to be used in reference to the preservation of social elites in general; such connections within the British Civil Service formed a primary theme in the British Broadcasting Corporation's satirical comedy series Yes Minister. The phrase "It's not what you know, it's who you know" is associated with this tradition.
Mostly in the Southern United States, the term good ol' boy has a slightly different meaning—a friendly white man who embodies the stereotype of the folksy culture of the South. A good old boys network has the connotation of this sort of personality combined with cronyism.
This southern term also refers to the personal and friendly relationship between common citizens and local authorities usually resulting in lenient or sometimes no punishments for crimes committed by friends of law enforcement.
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