So there is a subtle difference. Take a commission for example. Sounds pretty similar to a bribe right? Difference is, bribe makes for a hostage / preferential

So there is a subtle difference. Take a commission for example. Sounds pretty similar to a bribe right? Difference is, bribe makes for a hostage / preferential treatment situation (give me something extra sweet or else no deal/guarantee), whereas a commission is a cut based upon a predetermined price that a salesmen can't really change (e.g. getting a 2% cut for every car you sell at some dealer). Salesmen can negotiate sell price to some extent, affecting their cut, but they can't make demands to the buyer to pay them an extra side deal first (otherwise, if he does, it's a bribe). The buyer, is free to give him an additional tip if he'd like, after the deal is done, but not if it was coerced prior by the seller. As far as lobbying, there is still the same difference. If a politician said they would promise to personally do X for someone only if given Y dollars, it's a bribe. Instead, if a politician said they would do X if elected, and some random person heard this and liked their cause and so decided to donate them Y dollars, it's not a bribe, because the politician wasn't going to give preferential treatment due to the donation, and the donor wasn't coerced. And it works in reverse. If a donor said there will be extra X money if you do Y personally for me when elected, it's a bribe. See the difference now?