crony capitalism

American  

[kroh-nee kap-i-tl-iz-uhm] / ˈkroʊ ni ˈkæp ɪ tlˌɪz əm /

noun

1. an economic system in which success in business is obtained through relationships to people in political power rather than through competition.

   The fact that only a few well-connected developers can get projects approved does seem like the sort of favoritism inherent in crony capitalism.

---

Etymology

Origin of crony capitalism

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

crony capitalism

But some worry that Russian-style crony capitalism could be on the menu instead.

From Barron's ● Jun. 24, 2026

White, black and Latino; union and non-union; evangelical and secular; immigrant and native-born — all focused on ending big money in politics, stopping corporate welfare and crony capitalism, busting up monopolies and stopping voter suppression.

From Salon ● Jul. 11, 2019

White, black and Latino; union and non-union; evangelical and secular; immigrant and native-born – all focused on ending big money in politics, stopping corporate welfare and crony capitalism, busting up monopolies and stopping voter suppression.

From The Guardian ● Jul. 7, 2019

Yet, despite maintaining a presence in space, Roscosmos has been beset with corruption, mismanagement, and crony capitalism that is the hallmark of the larger post-Soviet economy.

From Slate ● Mar. 21, 2017

If that succeeds, the critics of crony capitalism can easily find new targets.

From New York Times ● Jul. 5, 2015