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A political system where democratic institutions exist in form but are hollowed out by networks of personal connections, patronage, and reciprocal favoritism among elites. Elections happen, parliaments meet, constitutions are cited—but power flows through informal networks of cronies who reward loyalty over competence and use public office for private enrichment. It's democracy in name, oligarchy in practice, and farce in execution. The public is given the appearance of choice while the real decisions are made in golf clubs, boardrooms, and family gatherings. Crony democracy is what happens when liberal democratic forms survive but their substance—accountability, competition, rule of law—has been captured by a connected few.
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