Home > Kleptocratic
 | | | |
Learn more about "Kleptocratic"
|
|
|
Kleptocracy
A '''kleptocracy''' (sometimes '''cleptocracy''', occasionally '''kleptarchy''') (''root: klepto+kratein'' = ''rule by theft|thieves'') is a term applied to a form of government|government that extends the personal wealth and political power of government officials and the ruling class (collectively, '''kleptocrats''') at the expense of the population. A '''kleptocratic''' government often goes beyond mere cronyism and nepotism, or awarding the prime contracts and civil service posts to relatives or personal friends rather than the most competent applicants. They also create projects and programs at a policy level which serve the primary purpose of funneling money out of the treasury and into the pockets of the executive with little if any regard for the logic, viability or necessity of those projects.
Characteristics
Kleptocracies are often dictatorships or some other form of autocracy|autocratic and Nepotism|nepotist government, or lapsed democracies that have transformed into oligarchy|oligarchies.
According to one source, an old case of a kleptocratic governed state was Kievan Rus' where the alliance between Varangians and Slavic èlites set up this type of government which resisted all attacks till 1240 when the Tatars conquered Kiev. 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 through tax payment or other 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.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.
- Former Indonesian President Suharto ( billion – billion)
- Former Philippines|Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos ( billion – billion)
- Former Zaire|Zairian President Mobutu Sese Seko ( billion)
- Former Nigerian President Sani Abacha ( billion – billion)
- Former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|Yugoslav President Slobodan Milošević ( billion)
- Former Haitian President Jean-Claude Duvalier (0 million – 0 million)
- Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori (0 million)
- Former Ukraine|Ukrainian Prime Minister Pavlo Lazarenko (4 million – 0 million)
- Former Nicaraguan President Arnoldo Alemán (0 million)
- Former Philippines|Philippine President Joseph Estrada ( million – million)
See also
- Dictatorship
- Failed state
- Lumpenbourgeoisie
- Netocracy
- Oligarchy
- Political corruption
- Raubwirtschaft
- Narcokleptocracy
References
Category:Economic problems
Category:Forms of government
Category:Political terms
Related Images
Sources: StartLearningNow, Wikipedia | Usage license: GNU FDL
 |
Welcome to Start Learning Now.
Explore to your heart's content, and we hope you enjoy reading the material we
have assembled for you here! |
 |
| | | | |
Related News
|
|
Further Resources
|
|
Related Resources
search
|
|
