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They don't, as you are probably aware. They create barriers to entry for existing businesses that have the cash to issue bribes (or 'lobby' as some may euphemis

They don't, as you are probably aware. They create barriers to entry for existing businesses that have the cash to issue bribes (or 'lobby' as some may euphemistically call it). This is one of the major reasons for the stagnation of all empires.

leblancfg 4y ago
For sure, I guess I’m jaded enough that I felt it was so obvious as to not point out out. I still have some faith in possible change at the municipal level, at least in smaller ones.
tbran 4y ago
Several years ago a hostel owner in Costa Rica was telling me about trying to get things done through the small city government for his business. After failing to get permits/licenses/whatever it was, someone told him he needed to give the city administrator some cash on the side for things to go through. Boom! Instant success! At the time of our talking, he'd accepted that paying bribes to the government (not what the locals called it) was just a regular part of doing business. It was astonishing that it was required, openly acknowledged/accepted by the locals, and pervasive through other government branches.
- QuizzicalCarbon 4y ago
  In Costa Rica it seems like for every permit or license requirement, there’s a semi-official way to sidestep the red tape if you’re willing or able to pay someone off, for not much money either. For example, the requirement for non-residents to leave the country every 3 months was easily avoided by me and my neighbors because there was an established process of giving your passport over to a particular person who would then get it officially stamped by customs and border patrol to make it look like you dutifully left and returned to the country. All it cost was about $30 USD.
- renewiltord 4y ago
  In SF, you usually pay facilitators to get stuff done. Nominally, these are people "familiar with the process". In practice, it's a bribery mechanism.

leblancfg 4y ago

For sure, I guess I’m jaded enough that I felt it was so obvious as to not point out out. I still have some faith in possible change at the municipal level, at least in smaller ones.

tbran 4y ago

Several years ago a hostel owner in Costa Rica was telling me about trying to get things done through the small city government for his business. After failing to get permits/licenses/whatever it was, someone told him he needed to give the city administrator some cash on the side for things to go through. Boom! Instant success! At the time of our talking, he'd accepted that paying bribes to the government (not what the locals called it) was just a regular part of doing business. It was astonishing that it was required, openly acknowledged/accepted by the locals, and pervasive through other government branches.

QuizzicalCarbon 4y ago
In Costa Rica it seems like for every permit or license requirement, there’s a semi-official way to sidestep the red tape if you’re willing or able to pay someone off, for not much money either. For example, the requirement for non-residents to leave the country every 3 months was easily avoided by me and my neighbors because there was an established process of giving your passport over to a particular person who would then get it officially stamped by customs and border patrol to make it look like you dutifully left and returned to the country. All it cost was about $30 USD.
renewiltord 4y ago
In SF, you usually pay facilitators to get stuff done. Nominally, these are people "familiar with the process". In practice, it's a bribery mechanism.