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This forum is full of libertarians that might view bribes and taxes as synonyms.

As a libertarian, they are not even close to being the same. A bribe is generally optional where you can opt out of the transaction. Taxes are a racket.

So if you get stopped by the police in a bribe-affine country and they make clear you can either pay some money or they will take you to jail even though you did nothing wrong, is that a tax or a bribe?

It's blackmail/extortion. The act of paying the money is the bribe. Here is the Wikipedia definition.

> Bribery is the corrupt solicitation, payment, or acceptance of a private favor (a bribe) in exchange for official action.[1][2] The purpose of a bribe is to influence the actions of the recipient, a person in charge of an official duty, to act contrary to their duty and the known rules of honesty and integrity.

Bribes are optional in countries with taxes. In countries without taxes, they are mandatory.

You’re splitting hairs and fail to see the bigger picture.

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