Every country has bribery and many countries, like the US, formalize a bribery system into law by putting in limitations and adding recording requirements.

I think you point out correctly that powerful special interests use things like lobbying and regulatory capture to control government policy.

The cause is the real issue that no one wants to talk about because it means taking a cold hard look at ourselves and behavior. I would argue it is ultimately a cultural issue so fixing our policies will not be enough to affect change.