In Kali-yuga, as stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam, the ruling class will be no better than plunderers because the third-class and fourth-class men will monopolize the affairs of the government. Ignoring the religious principles and brahminical rules and regulations, they will certainly try to plunder the riches of the citizens without consideration.

Plundered

When can we expect good government?

The kshatriyas, or the ruling class, must govern the world in accordance with the rules and regulations enacted by great brahmanas and saintly persons. As soon as the ruling class becomes irresponsible in regard to the religious principles, it becomes a burden on the earth. As stated here, rajas-tamo-vritam, bharam abrahmanyam: when the ruling class is influenced by the lower modes of nature, namely ignorance and passion, it becomes a burden to the world and must then be annihilated by superior power. We actually see from modern history that monarchies have been abolished by various revolutions, but unfortunately the monarchies have been abolished to establish the supremacy of third-class and fourth-class men. Although monarchies overpowered by the modes of passion and ignorance have been abolished in the world, the inhabitants of the world are still unhappy, for although the qualities of the former monarchs were degraded by taints of ignorance, these monarchs have been replaced by men of the mercantile and worker classes whose qualities are even more degraded. When the government is actually guided by brahmanas, or God conscious men, then there can be real happiness for the people. Therefore in previous times, when the ruling class was degraded to the modes of passion and ignorance, the brahmanas, headed by such a kshatriya-spirited brahmana as Parashurama, killed them twenty-one consecutive times.

In Kali-yuga, as stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.2.13), dasyu-prayeshu rajasu: the ruling class (rajanya) will be no better than plunderers (dasyus) because the third-class and fourth-class men will monopolize the affairs of the government. Ignoring the religious principles and brahminical rules and regulations, they will certainly try to plunder the riches of the citizens without consideration. As stated elsewhere in Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.1.40):

asamskritah kriya-hina
rajasa tamasavritah
prajas te bhakshayishyanti
mleccha rajanya-rupinah

Being unpurified, neglecting to discharge human duties properly, and being influenced by the modes of passion (rajas) and ignorance (tamas), unclean people (mlecchas), posing as members of the government (rajanya-rupinah), will swallow the citizens (prajas te bhakshayishyanti). And in still another place, Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.2.7-8) says:

evam prajabhir dushtabhir
akirne kshiti-mandale
brahma-vit-kshatra-shudranam
yo bali bhavita nripah
praja hi lubdhai rajanyair
nirghrinair dasyu-dharmabhih
acchinna-dara-dravina
yasyanti giri-kananam

Human society is naturally grouped into four divisions, as stated in Bhagavad-gita (chatur-varnyam maya srishtam guna-karma-vibhagashah [Bg. 4.13]). But if this system is neglected and the qualities and divisions of society are not considered, the result will be brahma-vit-kshatra-shudranam yo bali bhavita nripah: the so-called caste system of brahmana, kshatriya, vaishya and shudra will be meaningless. As a result, whoever somehow or other becomes powerful will be the king or president, and thus the prajas, or citizens, will be so harassed that they will give up hearth and home and will go to the forest (yasyanti giri-kananam) to escape harassment by government officials who have no mercy and are addicted to the ways of plunderers. Therefore the prajas, or the people in general, must take to the Krishna consciousness movement, the Hare Krishna movement, which is the sound incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kali-kale nama-rupe krishna-avatara: Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has now appeared as an incarnation by His holy name. Therefore, when the prajas become Krishna conscious, they can then expect a good government and good society, a perfect life, and liberation from the bondage of material existence.