Interchangeable terms describing a legal regime where the application of the law is systematically distorted to benefit a connected network of insiders—politicians, their donors, corporate allies, and oligarchs. Justice becomes a function of political loyalty and financial influence. Laws are written vaguely to allow selective enforcement, prosecution is weaponized against opponents, and regulatory capture is the norm. It is rule by law for the people, and rule without law for the cronies.
Example: A mining company owned by a senator's brother receives a waived environmental impact assessment, while a small competitor is bankrupted by relentless inspections and fines for minor violations. This is Legal Cronyism. The same environmental laws exist on the books, but they function as a shield for the powerful and a sword against the weak. Crony Legal Systems / Legal Cronyism / Crony Law / Law Cronyism
by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal February 4, 2026
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