politics

definition of kleptocracy

In Greek klepto means robbery and cracia means form of government. Therefore, the concept of kleptocracy expresses that the government of a people is based on theft. In other words, those who run the institutions are dedicated to personal enrichment and various forms of political corruption.

The kleptocracy is revealed in many ways: financial scandals related to the state, political representatives linked to money laundering or capital evasion, the different forms of clientelism and a long etcetera of illegal procedures that are closely associated with the activity politics.

Regardless of the corruption mechanisms used, broad sectors of society have the perception that the government of their nation is corrupt to a greater or lesser extent.

Kleptocracy is a disease that affects political activity and society as a whole

The exercise of politics presents two possible personal approaches: those who dedicate themselves to it to serve the citizenship or those who use politics to defend their personal interests.

The government of thieves can be part of a capitalist or communist regime, a democratic or dictatorial system, a government of the right or the left, of a rich or poor country. The search for personal enrichment through political activity depends on the ethical values ​​of individuals and of society as a whole.

If a person is convinced that their country is ruled by corrupt people and thieves, this idea can have all kinds of consequences (not voting in elections, not trusting any party or political movement or coming to think that if politicians steal it is reasonable that one also steal to the best of their ability).

The degeneration of politics is a question that was addressed by philosophers such as Plato or Aristotle 2,500 years ago

Plato considered that democracy is an imperfect and undesirable system of government, since it produces social disorder and injustice, since not the most capable but those who know how to manipulate the masses rule. One of the evils of democracy is precisely kleptocracy.

According to Aristotle, democracy is a system of government with certain associated dangers:

1) that the crowds impose their will by resorting to violence,

2) the collective will is manipulable through demagoguery,

3) Populist democratic regimes can lead to a despotic government that ends up favoring kleptocracy.

Photos: Fotolia - PrettyVectors / Piumadaquila

$config[zx-auto] not found$config[zx-overlay] not found