Kleptocracy is often invoked as shorthand for corruption, yet its meaning and impact are far more complex. In this book, Matthew Page unpacks the concept, tracing how regimes built on theft operate across political systems and continents. Exploring why kleptocracy matters for both foreign and domestic politics, Page reveals how it shapes global security, economic inequality, and democratic resilience. Using vivid case studies, from Romania under Ceausescu to South Sudan and Azerbaijan, and drawing on historical analysis and contemporary examples, Page shows how democracies have enabled kleptocratic networks and why these dynamics threaten governance worldwide. Accessible and deeply researched, it offers readers a framework for understanding kleptocracy's evolution and practical steps to curb its influence.

Matthew T. Page is a leading public intellectual focused on corruption and kleptocracy worldwide. In May 2023, the Putin regime banned him from entering Russia because of his anti-corruption work. Matthew is a longtime associate fellow with Chatham House. Prior to 2016, he served as the U.S. intelligence community's top Nigeria expert. His first book Nigeria: What Everyone Needs to Know (2018) is one of the “three books you need to understand Nigeria,” according to the Washington Post. He is an alumnus of Oxford University and King's College London.