States like that are simply corrupt, majorly so, the "style" of purported government is irrelevant, really. Venezuela probably calls itself a 'democracy' of sorts, but it's corrupt, even more than the US is.
I see folks arguing over whether Nazi Germany was socialist or not, they were corrupt and perhaps closer to a crony capitalist state where big industrialists in favor prosper.
I'd put China in this group today, though perhaps it's more "crony socialist".
