> Why are other countries not victim to lobbying in the way America is?

Among other reasons, America has a uniquely loose political fundraising / election spending system. If all else fails, a company like H&R Block can directly take out election ads -- with business funds -- to campaign against candidates who would support simplified filing measures. This would be somewhere between illegal and heavily curtailed in other countries.

The net effect is to give greater policy weight to issues that give concentrated benefits to (or avoid concentrated costs on) small, well-funded groups at the expense of diffuse costs (or foregone benefits) to the general public.

American lobbying practices are criminal offences that would land you with corruption charges in Europe.

And that's why all the lobbying here is done behind close doors. It doesn't mean it's gone.

Can you give a concrete example?

America has a huge economy & relatively few legislators. The return on investment for corruption in America is _huge_ compared with other democratic countries.

I do think the FPTP system in the US and UK concentrates power. And that makes them better able to exploit foreign countries (Arms deals, coups etc). But that seems less about lobbying it's more that the concentration of power makes lobbying more profitable.

> Why are other countries not victim to lobbying in the way America is?

My guess would be the will to collect taxes is stronger than the lobbying to make it more difficult. In Europe there is far less opposition to taxation as well.

One of the major reasons for the independence of the United States from the United Kingdom was a tax revolt. Anti-tax opinion is deeply rooted in the culture for better or worse.