A kleptocracy (sometimes cleptocracy, occasionally kleptarchy) (root: klepto+kratein = rule by thieves) is a term applied to a government that extends the personal wealth and political power of government officials and the ruling class (collectively, kleptocrats) at the expense of the population.
Characteristics
Kleptocracies are often dictatorships or some other form of autocratic and nepotist government, or lapsed democracies that have transformed into oligarchies.citation needed
Effects
The effects of a kleptocratic regime or government on a nation are typically adverse in regards to the faring of the state's economy, political affairs and civil rights. Kleptocracy in a government often results in a severe deficit of foreign investment prospect, and drastic weakenings in the market and exportation/importation affairs. As the kleptocracy often embezzles its money from its citizens by misusing funds derived from tax payments, or money laundering schemes, a kleptocractically structured political system can be degrading to the quality of life of the general populace. In addition, the stolen funds that kleptocrats take to their own gain is often removed from funds that were to go towards public improvements, such as the building of hospitals, schools, roads, parks and the like, bringing about yet further adverse effects on the quality of life of the citizens living under a kleptocracy.[1] The pseudo-oligarchy that results from a kleptocrat elite can also be undermining to the democracy, or any other political format the state is ostensibly under.[2]
Examples
Historical
According to one source, an old case of a kleptocratic governed state was Kievan Rus' where the alliance between Varangians and Slavic élites set up this type of government which resisted all attacks till 1240 when the Tatars conquered Kiev.[3]
Modern
Transparency International ranking
In early 2004, the anti-corruption Germany-based NGO Transparency International released a list of what it believes to be the ten most self-enriching leaders in recent years.[4]
In order of amount allegedly stolen (in USD), they are:
- Former Indonesian President Suharto ($15 billion – $35 billion)
- Former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos ($5 billion – $10 billion)
- Former Zairian President Mobutu Sese Seko ($5 billion)
- Former Nigerian President Sani Abacha ($2 billion – $5 billion)
- Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milošević ($1 billion)
- Former Haitian President Jean-Claude Duvalier ($300 million – $800 million)
- Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori ($600 million)
- Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Pavlo Lazarenko ($114 million – $200 million)
- Former Nicaraguan President Arnoldo Alemán ($100 million)
- Former Philippine President Joseph Estrada ($78 million – $80 million)
Narcokleptocracy
A narcokleptocracy is a society ruled by "thieves" involved in the trade of narcotics.
The term has its origin in a report prepared by a subcommittee of the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee, chaired by Massachusetts Senator John Kerry.[1] The term was used specifically to describe the regime of Manuel Noriega in Panama. The term's construction builds on the already existing pejorative term "kleptocracy"- which is a government run by thieves. That is more precisely, a government run expressly for the financial benefit of those who govern.
The Bush Administration
In 2003, Jim Hightower criticized the Bush administration, calling it a kleptocracy[5]. In 2006, the Bush Administration enunciated a policy specifically to internationalize an effort to resist kleptocracies.[6]
See also
References
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