Princeton University defines:
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate
private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of
political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption.
Neither are illegal acts by private persons or corporations not directly involved with the
government. An illegal act by an officeholder constitutes political corruption only if the act
is directly related to their official duties.
Forms of corruption vary, but include bribery, extortion, cronyism,
nepotism, patronage, graft, and embezzlement. While corruption may
facilitate criminal enterprise such as drug trafficking, money laundering, and human
trafficking, it is not restricted to these activities.
The activities that constitute illegal corruption differ depending on the country or
jurisdiction. For instance, certain political funding practices that are legal in one place may
be illegal in another. In some cases, government officials have broad or poorly defined
powers, which make it difficult to distinguish between legal and illegal actions. A state of
unrestrained political corruption is known as a kleptocracy, literally meaning "rule
by thieves".
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