Is there a word for "rule by criminals"? Not kleptocracy, which is rule by thieves, but more broadly by criminals.
Learn English – word for “rule by criminals”
nounssingle-word-requests
nounssingle-word-requests
Is there a word for "rule by criminals"? Not kleptocracy, which is rule by thieves, but more broadly by criminals.
Best Answer
Kleptocracy (or kleptarchy) does derive from the Greek word for “thief,” but the English word does not literally refer to thieves. Instead it describes a common form of government corruption which features various abuses of power including, but not limited to, embezzlement of public funds.
Mafia state is a related term for governments which have close ties to organized crime. Again, it does not literally refer to the Sicilian Mafia – a mafia state can be tied to any sort of crime syndicate.