Corruption significantly undermines political structures by eroding public trust, facilitating inefficiency, and fostering inequality. It can lead to a lack of accountability among officials and result in the misallocation of resources. Such corruption can degrade the overall functionality of institutions, allowing for authoritarianism to take root as citizens become disillusioned and disengaged from the democratic process. Ultimately, the long-term impacts can destabilize governments and incite social unrest, harming both democracy and societal cohesion.