The difference between: fees, fines, bribes, and lobbying.
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The difference between: fees, fines, bribes, and lobbying.
(From a Corporate standpoint. Not individual.)
Fee: An amount of money you pay the govt BEFORE doing something in order to follow legal requirements. If you don't pay a fee, you may be required to pay a fine.
Fine: An amount of money you pay the govt AFTER doing something in order to follow legal requirements. Fines only happen if you're caught and if a judge/jury finds you guilty of not paying a fee / following the law.
Bribe: An amount of money you pay illegally to the govt BEFORE doing something in order to bypass legal requirements. Ideally the bribe is less than a fee or fine. If caught, you may have to pay a fine.
Lobbying: A bribe you pay legally to the govt to change the laws to make activities legal (bypass fines) or cheaper (lower fees and fines).
Therefore a simple cost benefit analysis occurs to determine: If the fee is cheap, pay it. If the fine is cheap, don't pay the fee - instead break the law and pay the fine only if caught/found guilty (paying a fine is often cheaper than paying a fee, especially in aggregate). Don't pay a bribe when you can lobby. Lobby if you plan on breaking current laws so often that paying fines becomes cost prohibitive.
So the ideal is to break the law and pay the occasional fine. Or to legally bribe (lobby) to change the law so its no longer illegal (or cheaper to break the law).
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The difference between: fees, fines, bribes, and lobbying.
(From a Corporate standpoint. Not individual.)
Fee: An amount of money you pay the govt BEFORE doing something in order to follow legal requirements. If you don't pay a fee, you may be required to pay a fine.
Fine: An amount of money you pay the govt AFTER doing something in order to follow legal requirements. Fines only happen if you're caught and if a judge/jury finds you guilty of not paying a fee / following the law.
Bribe: An amount of money you pay illegally to the govt BEFORE doing something in order to bypass legal requirements. Ideally the bribe is less than a fee or fine. If caught, you may have to pay a fine.
Lobbying: A bribe you pay legally to the govt to change the laws to make activities legal (bypass fines) or cheaper (lower fees and fines).
Therefore a simple cost benefit analysis occurs to determine: If the fee is cheap, pay it. If the fine is cheap, don't pay the fee - instead break the law and pay the fine only if caught/found guilty (paying a fine is often cheaper than paying a fee, especially in aggregate). Don't pay a bribe when you can lobby. Lobby if you plan on breaking current laws so often that paying fines becomes cost prohibitive.
So the ideal is to break the law and pay the occasional fine. Or to legally bribe (lobby) to change the law so its no longer illegal (or cheaper to break the law).
@tinker distinctions sans difference
all are corruption, leveraging a profit motive
putting a monetary price on everything was bad
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@tinker distinctions sans difference
all are corruption, leveraging a profit motive
putting a monetary price on everything was bad
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The difference between: fees, fines, bribes, and lobbying.
(From a Corporate standpoint. Not individual.)
Fee: An amount of money you pay the govt BEFORE doing something in order to follow legal requirements. If you don't pay a fee, you may be required to pay a fine.
Fine: An amount of money you pay the govt AFTER doing something in order to follow legal requirements. Fines only happen if you're caught and if a judge/jury finds you guilty of not paying a fee / following the law.
Bribe: An amount of money you pay illegally to the govt BEFORE doing something in order to bypass legal requirements. Ideally the bribe is less than a fee or fine. If caught, you may have to pay a fine.
Lobbying: A bribe you pay legally to the govt to change the laws to make activities legal (bypass fines) or cheaper (lower fees and fines).
Therefore a simple cost benefit analysis occurs to determine: If the fee is cheap, pay it. If the fine is cheap, don't pay the fee - instead break the law and pay the fine only if caught/found guilty (paying a fine is often cheaper than paying a fee, especially in aggregate). Don't pay a bribe when you can lobby. Lobby if you plan on breaking current laws so often that paying fines becomes cost prohibitive.
So the ideal is to break the law and pay the occasional fine. Or to legally bribe (lobby) to change the law so its no longer illegal (or cheaper to break the law).
If fines aren't means tested then their use as a deterrent is meaningless and effectively places wealthy people and corporations above the law.
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If fines aren't means tested then their use as a deterrent is meaningless and effectively places wealthy people and corporations above the law.
@ReggieHere - Indeed. Means test corporations to determine penalty of breaking the law (dont means test people to determine if they need extra food)
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