Bribes and Deals only buy influence, and not everybody is even allowed to buy influence with bribes and deals. The new guy at the office can’t walk up to the ceo and ask for a position at the top with nothing but money. Money is a signifier that you will continue to do favours for the person, and that you’re a person of power.
I hear you that there’s bribes and deals that go on, I just think that with HOM and Inner Circle, those deals will start getting offered to you instead of others, and maybe they won’t be expensive. When someone is offered a bribe or a deal, often times they’re only offered to the person that they want to have in their inner circle (no pun intended) anyways. All the bribe symbolizes is that joining the inner circle isn’t free and will require favours owed. When a family member bribes their way to the top, it’s just the family’s way of keeping it in the family. If a little money changes hands, that just signifies that the person is committed and isn’t getting it 100% for free. Just 100% without having earned it.
I don’t mean to say I know anything about your situation better than you do. In fact, I know way less. That’s why I’m hoping this is an injection of fresh thinking into your current situation… even if it’s actually quite naive and not all of it is helpful.
You know the win conditions now so you can make it happen, as far as my naive brain can see.