kleptocracy
Kleptocracy (noun) means a government whose leaders use their power mainly to steal from the state and enrich themselves, treating public money and national resources as personal property. Example: “Decades of kleptocracy left the treasury empty and the roads unbuilt.”
How to use kleptocracy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA country run by leaders who are in it to steal public money.
Formal and strongly critical; common in journalism, political science and sanctions policy.
Do not confuse it with kleptomania, which is a compulsion to steal small items and shares only the Greek root for thief.
Trace the full origin ↓Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Decades of _____ left the treasury empty and the roads unbuilt.
Etymology
From Greek kleptes 'thief' plus -kratia 'rule, power', the same ending as in democracy and autocracy.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for kleptocracy
See all rhymes for kleptocracy →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a kleptocracy and an oligarchy?
An oligarchy is rule by a small group, defined by how few people hold power rather than by what they do with it. A kleptocracy is defined by the theft: leaders stay in office in order to loot public funds. Many kleptocracies are also oligarchies, but an oligarchy could in principle be honest.
Is kleptocracy the same as corruption?
No. Corruption can exist inside an otherwise functioning state, as individual officials taking bribes. Kleptocracy is systemic: stealing is the organising purpose of the government itself, running from the top down.
How is kleptocracy pronounced?
Stress the second syllable: klep-TOK-ruh-see, on the same pattern as democracy and bureaucracy.
What is the meaning of kleptocracy?
"kleptocracy" (noun) means a government whose leaders use their power mainly to steal from the state and enrich themselves, treating public money and national resources as personal property.