How US legalized corruption? By Johnson Choi, Oct 24 2025 美國如何把腐败合法化? 作者: 蔡永強 2025年10月25日

The perception of widespread corruption at various levels of American government, coupled with a surprisingly low number of high-profile convictions, points to a complex and deeply ingrained systemic issue. 对美国各级政府普遍存在腐败的观感，与其引人注目的低定罪率形成鲜明对比，这揭示了一个复杂且根深蒂固的系统性问题.

The problem is not always one of overt, illegal bribery, but often of legalized influence-peddling and structural loopholes.

The Legalization of Corruption

A compelling argument can be made that the U.S. has effectively “legalized” certain forms of corruption. This is achieved through a system where powerful interests—including corporate entities and wealthy individuals—can legally funnel vast sums of money into the political process. This is done through:

· Campaign Finance: The Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision and similar rulings have opened the floodgates for unlimited political spending, allowing donors to gain significant access and influence.
· Lobbying: A sophisticated lobbying industry exists to shape legislation and regulation in favor of those who can afford it, often creating laws with beneficial loopholes for specific industries.
· The Revolving Door: A common practice where regulators and lawmakers leave public service for lucrative positions in the industries they once oversaw, and vice-versa.

For anyone seeking to navigate this system to their advantage, the essential tools are not just a good legal team, but also powerful lobbyists and strategic political connections.

The Challenge of Prosecution and the Perception of Impunity

This system creates a high bar for criminal prosecution. What may be perceived by the public as corruption is often, in a technical sense, perfectly legal under the very laws designed by the powerful.

This leads to the perception of a two-tiered justice system, where the connected and wealthy operate with impunity. This sentiment was particularly amplified during the Trump administration. The president’s use of pardon power for political allies, along with the repeated involvement of his family members in controversial business dealings, fueled allegations that proximity to power could shield one from legal consequences. This created a perception that for some, the normal rules did not apply.

A Global Allure

This environment helps explain why the United States can be an attractive destination for foreign capital, including from individuals with questionable backgrounds. The combination of a robust financial system, powerful legal tools for asset protection, and a political system that can be influenced by wealth, creates a perception of a safe haven for those seeking to secure and legitimize their fortunes.

In conclusion, the scarcity of convictions is not necessarily proof of a clean system, but rather evidence of a sophisticated one where influence is often codified into law, making it exceptionally difficult to hold the powerful accountable in a court of law.

问题的核心往往并非赤裸裸的非法贿赂，而是合法化的利益输送与制度漏洞。

腐败的合法化

有充分理由认为，美国实际上已将某些形式的腐败”合法化”。这种机制允许权势集团——包括企业实体和富豪阶层——通过合法渠道向政治进程注入巨额资金，具体表现为：

· 竞选资金：最高法院”公民联合会案”等裁决为无限制政治支出打开了闸门，使金主能获得重要政治通道和影响力
· 游说制度：成熟的游说产业通过定制法律法规为支付得起费用的群体服务，常常为特定行业量身打造法律漏洞
· 旋转门现象：监管者与立法者离开公职后，转身投入曾监管行业的高薪职位，反之亦然

想要在这个体系中谋取利益，关键不仅需要优秀的法律团队，更需要强大的游说力量和战略性的政治人脉。

司法追责的困境与特权感知

这种制度设置了极高的刑事起诉门槛。在公众看来是腐败的行为，从技术层面看却往往符合由权贵阶层制定的法律条文。

这催生了双重司法体系的公众认知——拥有特权和财富者可以逍遥法外。这种感知在特朗普执政时期尤为凸显。总统对政治盟友的特赦权，及其家族成员屡次卷入争议性商业往来，都强化了”靠近权力中心就能获得法律豁免”的指控，形成某些人可超脱于普通法律约束的普遍观感。

对全球的吸引力

这种环境解释了为何美国会成为问题背景外资的乐土。健全的金融体系、强大的资产保护法律工具，以及能被财富影响的政治体制，共同营造了安全港湾的认知，吸引着寻求资产保全与合法化的海外资金。

总而言之，定罪率低并不能证明体制清廉，反而揭示出一个将影响力转化为法律条文的精密系统——在这里，通过司法途径追究权贵责任变得异常艰难。