Pejorative terms for forms of government

thumb|right|Benjamin Harrison (hospital administrator)|Benjamin Harrison, treasurer of [[Guy's Hospital in London, was shown as a dominant presiding figure, with the nepotism of Sir Astley Cooper having his tacit approval.]]

A plutocracy () or plutarchy is a society that is ruled or controlled by people of great wealth or income. It can be considered a form of oligarchy (rule by the few) where the ruling few are wealthy. The first known use of the term in English dates from 1631. It is not rooted in any established political philosophy.

political science term for a politically unstable country

thumb|upright=1.2|Detail from Corrupt Legislation, painting by Elihu Vedder (1896)

democracy spoiled by demagoguery and the rule of passion over reason

Kakistocracy ( ) is government by the worst, least qualified, or most unscrupulous people.

thumb|Protester holding Adbusters' Corporate American flag at the [[Second inauguration of George W. Bush in Washington, D.C.]] Corporatocracy or corpocracy is an economic, political and judicial system controlled or influenced by business corporations or corporate interests.

Absurdistan is a term sometimes used to satirically describe a country in which absurdity is the norm due to the ubiquity and incompetence of its bureaucracy. The expression was originally used by Eastern bloc dissidents to refer to parts (or all) of the Soviet Union and its satellite states, but has remained common in post-communist discourse as well.

A vetocracy is a dysfunctional system of governance whereby no single entity can acquire enough power to make decisions and take effective charge. Coined by American political scientist Francis Fukuyama, the term points to an excessive ability or willingness to use the veto power within a government or institution, without an adequate means of any override. Such limitations may point to a lack of trust among members or hesitance to cede sovereignty. More veto points typically make it more difficult to pass legislation.

Bankocracy (from the English word bank and Ancient Greek κράτος - kratos, "power, rule") or trapezocracy (from Greek τράπεζα - trapeza, "bank") is a polemic term referring to the excessive power or influence of banks on public policy-making. It can also refer to a form of government where financial institutions rule society.