Skip to Content

Kleptocracy

A kleptocracy is a form of government in which leaders exploit national resources and steal; it is rule by thieves.

In a kleptocracy, those in power use their official positions to enrich themselves at the expense of the broader population, often through embezzlement, bribery, kickbacks, or the outright seizure of assets.

Public funds meant for infrastructure, education, or healthcare are instead diverted into private bank accounts or luxury assets, frequently hidden offshore.

Origins of “Kleptocracy”

The term derives from the Greek words kleptein (“to steal”) and kratos (“rule” or “power”), thus literally meaning “rule by theft.”

It emerged in the mid-20th century to describe corrupt post-colonial regimes but has since been used more broadly to characterize any state where corruption is systemic and self-reinforcing.

Context of the phrase

Kleptocracies tend to lack transparency, independent institutions, and a functioning rule of law.

Leaders typically use propaganda, patronage networks, and repression to maintain control, while institutions like courts and law enforcement become tools to protect the elite rather than serve the public.

Modern examples are often linked with authoritarian regimes, but kleptocratic behavior can also flourish in nominal democracies with weak oversight.

The damage caused is not only economic but deeply corrosive to civic trust, accountability, and democratic norms.

Use of “Kleptocracy” in a sentence

  • After years under a kleptocracy, the country’s infrastructure had crumbled while its leaders amassed billions in offshore accounts.
  • International watchdogs warned that the new regime was showing all the signs of evolving into a kleptocracy, with government contracts consistently awarded to friends and family.
  • The documentary exposed how a kleptocracy operates behind a façade of democracy, using elections to legitimize wholesale looting.