But can you RUN a business without substantial payoffs to various Party members?
You can now. Party members aren’t as plentiful anymore. Party membership gives you the ability to break the rules that everyone else has to follow. But several Party members have been shot recently for taking bribes that resulted in the death of citizens. That hurts recruitment.
I just read a series of books on food in China. Opening a restaurant is simply a matter of money now. Inspections are checked by bribes. Competition is fierce. Famous foreigners get better treatment than party officials. It’s is almost a libertarian environment. Kinda strange really.