A kleptocracy is a corrupt government led by a person who uses it for personal gain. This often occurs in authoritarian governments where there is little accountability, and officials abuse government funds. Citizens face extreme difficulty, lack of public services, and may become political prisoners for protesting government policy.
The pejorative term “kleptocracy” is applied to a government tainted with widespread greed and corruption and led by a person who has used the government for personal enrichment and gain. While the suffix “-ocracy” often implies a form of government, kleptocracies are not forms of government, but rather governments so fundamentally corrupt that they are difficult, if not impossible, to rescue.
Most commonly, this situation arises in authoritarian governments. Such governments lend themselves to corruption because there is little accountability and the head of government usually appoints friends, family, and close associates to key government positions to maintain control. This creates a ruling class and, without any accountability, members of the government can freely abuse government funds.
In a kleptocracy, most government revenues go into the hands of officials and are not applied to public works projects, welfare projects, and other activities. Government agencies are often dysfunctional due to limited funding and are run by people who lack qualifications. Aid organizations trying to deliver assistance to the country can be frustrated to see all aid diverted for personal gain, with national leaders selling humanitarian aid to the highest bidder instead of allowing it to be distributed for the good of the population.
Bribery is commonly required to perform tasks ranging from obtaining a building permit to opening a new business. The more money people have, the higher they can rise in the kleptocracy, paving the way for high-ranking officials, and this in turn generates more money for them as they accept bribes and gifts from people fighting for a position in government. It is not uncommon to see the justice system collapsing as people simply refuse to attend their own trials or bribe their way out of legal sanctions.
For the average citizen, living in a kleptocracy can be scored with extreme difficulty. Lacking influence and funding, people may find it difficult to complete basic tasks. Lack of public services can lead to problems such as uncollected garbage, unpaved and poorly maintained roads, limited access to health care, and other problems. Citizens who protest government policy or attempt to draw attention to problems with the government may become political prisoners and may face penalties such as execution for treason. Free elections are not usually present in a kleptocracy, and some nations may not even bother holding sham elections, allowing leaders to hold office for decades and pass power on to their children.
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