Kleptocracy
A system of government in which officials exploit state power to steal public resources for personal enrichment.
Explanation
Kleptocracy — literally "rule by thieves" — describes governments in which corruption is systemic and leaders use political power primarily to enrich themselves. It differs from ordinary corruption in scale and institutionalization: the entire state apparatus is oriented toward extraction. Kleptocratic regimes often combine authoritarianism with a facade of democratic institutions. Examples cited include several post-Soviet states, some sub-Saharan African governments, and the Marcos regime in the Philippines. Kleptocracy undermines institutions, suppresses civil society, and typically requires control of the judiciary and press to sustain itself.