crony capitalism

noun

: an economic system in which individuals and businesses with political connections and influence are favored (as through tax breaks, grants, and other forms of government assistance) in ways seen as suppressing open competition in a free market

If there's one thing that populists on the left and right can agree upon, it is disdain for crony capitalism.

—Neil Irwin

… the go-go growth was illusory, built on a corrupt crony capitalism that might have been exposed earlier by a robust and aggressive press.

—Editor & Publisher

As a condition for the loan, demand that they reform their economies, eliminating the worst excesses of crony capitalism.

—Paul Krugman

crony capitalist noun

plural crony capitalists

Real business people, who make their money in open, competitive markets, are entitled to their vast wealth but crony capitalists, who rely on state privileges, don't deserve our support.

—Allister Heath

Examples of crony capitalism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Yuki Iwamura | Bloomberg | Getty Images Citadel CEO Ken Griffin issued a warning against the steep tariffs President-elect Donald Trump vowed to implement, saying crony capitalism could be a consequence. —Yun Li, CNBC, 21 Nov. 2024

Trump should bring down the guillotine on crony capitalism in favor of the Thomas Edisons who build a better mousetrap in a free enterprise landscape. —Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 18 Nov. 2024

Nevertheless, the state Legislature chose consumer choice, not crony capitalism, by moving forward with fantasy sports legalization in 2016. —Dennis C. Vacco, New York Daily News, 8 May 2024

Are his colleagues equally as committed to crony capitalism? —Stephanie Lundquist-Arora, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 31 Jan. 2024

The legacy financial system of trust imposes implicit taxes on the economy, through bank failure, government bailouts, crony capitalism, and inflation. —Korok Ray, Forbes, 15 Feb. 2024

Critics say Adani’s comeback rests heavily on crony capitalism, as he is seen as a close ally of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. —Diksha Madhok, CNN, 8 Feb. 2024

As a part of that notorious exercise in crony capitalism, Parliament gave the EIC for the first time the right to sell tea directly in America. —The Editors, National Review, 16 Dec. 2023

In our current free market economy rife with short-termism, crony capitalism, greed, and dishonest marketing, values should occupy concerted space in our social impact agendas. —Daniel Lubetzky, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1981, in the meaning defined above