bribes and payoffs

It looks like the author was being redundant, possibly for emphasis.

There must be a difference. Maybe a payoff is more like a commission.

There is a difference.

A bribe is an improper payment, made to an official or a person in authority, with the object of influencing a decision in the briber's favour. "Bribe" is standard formal English.

A payoff can be any kind of profit.

Mr Gilette sold his razors at cost price, but the payoff came from the blades.

As the previous poster noted, "a payoff" is also informal English for a bribe.

But both of these are bribes.
"Third World countries where government salaries were often augmented by bribes and payoffs"

Before I attempt to explain about bribes and payoffs, I need to tell you that often is English you will find two or three synonyms or near synonyms in the same sentence. The effect is to increase the power of the sentence.

If we stop reading the Bible, there will be chaos, mayhem and catastrophe!

In (UK) English legal language, you often find three alternative words for the same thing in the same sentence.

No person shall expose, show, or display for sale any live animal on a Sunday.

There is a grammatical term for this. I think it called tautology.

A suggestion: do some research!

The following is my opinion. Maybe other people have different ideas.

There are different kinds of bribes. Bribe is a generic term.

The word bribe means any kind of corrupt inducement. Sometimes this might be a gift, a piece of land, a house, a car, a boat, etc. Some bribes are specifically paid in the form of money. Payoffs and kickbacks are examples of these.

Imagine you are a city official in the department that gives permission to build factories. I want to set up a factory in that city. I know that it is hard to get that permission.

I might offer you a sum of money or a gift to induce you to corruptly grant that permission. I might give it to you before I apply or at the time. That is a simple bribe. Later people might say that during the negotiations there was money "under the table".

I might promise to give you the bribe later, if and when I get the permission, or I might promise that when the factory is built and operating and profitable, I will give you a percentage of the profits every month. These payments or gifts are "payoffs".

Or, I am a builder, you award contracts. You help me get a Government contract to build an army base or a new airport. I inflate the cost, and give you some of the money from the Government when I get it. These are "kickbacks".

It is actually part of my job to investigate corruption...and two different terms are used which are reflected in the laws of various countries.

The term "bribe" is used to mean a payment to someone in order to persuade them to do something which they would otherwise not do in their professional capacity. e.g. the granting of licences for factories, as above.

The term "facilitation payment" is used to mean a payment to get something done quicker than it would otherwise happen but it would still form part of that person's normal activity. For example, a country where customs officials usually take 2 weeks to clear a particular product being imported may be offered a "facilitation payment" to clear the goods in 2 days.

Under the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (which is increasingly being enforced) the "bribes" are not permitted but there "facilitation payments" are allowed. Other laws (such as UK and German laws) do not permit either.

It may be slightly off the point but I hope that's useful to someone!

KP

Blimey KP you swallowed a dictionary!

How are you fella ?

See you are in the Czech Republic now, have you done any Triathlons since London year before last ?

I had my Op just over a year ago and did not do a lot last year, got swimming sorted now-slow but can go long-up to 3kilos so far-running a bit-cyclings ok

hiama

I was planning to do the London tri again last year but just had too much work to train properly for it...so decided to leave it alone.

I'm just thinking it's time to get going again on my exercise programme. I've not really done much since I arrived here (January) apart from some skiing and a couple of runs.

I want to get back in shape for summer.

The good thing is that cycling is a big part of life here - lots of cycle paths in the woods, etc. I hear. I look forward to trying them out. Mountain bike with me, racing bike left at my parents' place (the roads here wouldn't be comfortable with 100psi tyres!).

Take care - glad to hear you're getting going again after the op.

KP

Yikes, it's KP AND hiama!

When I was lasy coming to London, KP escaped? to Halifax.

Now there's a possibility of a return visit - holy smoke - he's gone one better - and left the country completely.

Well - my first time on London the Queen left. My first time in Rome, the Pope left.

There must be some sort of general alert about me!

Hi Margo

When are you likely to be back in London?

Yes - everyone avoids you

KP