If there was regulatory capture it surely couldn't have been provided by them given they didn't exist yet. They were doing exactly what the tax system was designed to do - promote investment no trickery involved.

One can legitimately argue that the system sucked or could have been done better but it is not exploitation in the sense of a glitch any more than handling moving by selling your furniture, mailing your small items, and then buying new stuff insread of renting a van since depreciation losses would be less than moving expenses.

Catalog precedent was what they used for taxes and even a large company using it to sell everything enmasse wasn't new either - Sears Catalog.

A friend of mine after moving several times discovered it was cheaper to just throw away all the furniture (i.e. give it ot Goodwill) and buy new at the new place than ship it.

(Dict, for convenience - that's a good word, mate ;-)

rort - verb - AUSTRALIAN/NZ

gerund or present participle: rorting

engage in sharp practice.

- [...]

- work (a system) to obtain the greatest benefit while remaining within the letter of the law.