How much a country's leader is paid compared to GDP per person

[kelvin070]

Lee Hsien Loong, the prime minister of Singapore, tops our list of selected leaders' salaries. He is paid more than 40 times the city-state’s GDP per person.

http://www.economist.com/node/16525240?story_id=16525240
I guess in US the speeches presidents make after leaving office are valued more than their roles and responsibilities during office.

 

[dt3]

yeah but our leader can chew gum.

 

[Kyle B]

Kelvin, if the US president got paid more than the leader of Singapore, you would say that all the President cares about is money.

 

[Zorak]

At first I thought Kelvin was actually making a balanced point, and admitting to a glaring fault in Singapore.

Turns out not.

 

[kelvin070]

yeah but our leader can chew gum.

Kelvin, if the US president got paid more than the leader of Singapore, you would say that all the President cares about is money.

At first I thought Kelvin was actually making a balanced point, and admitting to a glaring fault in Singapore.

Turns out not.

Your top CEOs earn $20 million per yr and your president earns hardly 1% of that.

 

[edgray]

I don't think the leader of the country should earn much anyway. Money should not be a motivation to strive for such a position. Well paid top-jobs reek of corruption Kelvin and bring about terrible cronyism into political systems.

 

[kelvin070]

I don't think the leader of the country should earn much anyway. Money should not be a motivation to strive for such a position. Well paid top-jobs reek of corruption Kelvin and bring about terrible cronyism into political systems.

It's just the opposite. When you pay a person well, the temptation for corruption is mitigated. Secondly, when you pay peanuts you get monkeys.

 

[Alien Allen]

It's just the opposite. When you pay a person well, the temptation for corruption is mitigated. Secondly, when you pay peanuts you get monkeys.

That has to be the dumbest statement I ever heard

The more money the more there is a temptation for corruption

Of course the country you live in has none of that eh :24:

 

[Codrus]

That has to be the dumbest statement I ever heard....

gets me off the hook..............for now

 

[edgray]

It's just the opposite. When you pay a person well, the temptation for corruption is mitigated. Secondly, when you pay peanuts you get monkeys.

You just have to look at nations in Africa to know that's not true at all, and Singapore in fact.

 

[Meirionnydd]

Err, I'm pretty sure the Prime Minister of Australia is only paid something like $130,000 a year, excluding allowances. Having the leader of Singapore being paid ludicrous amounts of money per year is not something to be proud of either.

 

[Peter Parka]

Lol! Makes you wonder what all the expenses row is about in Britain

 

[kelvin070]

That has to be the dumbest statement I ever heard

The more money the more there is a temptation for corruption

Of course the country you live in has none of that eh :24:

gets me off the hook..............for now

You just have to look at nations in Africa to know that's not true at all, and Singapore in fact.

This sums its all. US is ranked 19th and Singapore is ranked 3rd in the Corruption Perceptions Index.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_Perceptions_Index

 

[dt3]

Perception isn't necessarily reality.

 

[retro]

Perception isn't necessarily reality.

When it comes to bashing the United States it obviously is.

Can we just donate a ton of tokenz to Kelvin so he'll go away again?

 

[dt3]

Clearly he spent the last few months in a reeducation camp. I don't know if you can buy his way in with tokenz.

 

[Peter Parka]

When it comes to bashing the United States it obviously is.

Can we just donate a ton of tokenz to Kelvin so he'll go away again?

As much as Kelvin is a malaria ridden mosquito, have I missed something? I thought he was pointing out that his countries leaders are the second most overpaid in the World?:willy_nilly:

 

[edgray]

This sums its all. US is ranked 19th and Singapore is ranked 3rd in the Corruption Perceptions Index.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_Perceptions_Index

perceived? hardly a sign of anything is it, Kelvin? And besides, the difference between Singapore and countries like US and Britain is pretty small, just a couple of points, yet your leader gets millions compared to the others...

no wonder that study is heavily criticised to the point of people wanting it stopped.

But if we got with the chart, it does nothing to bolster your belief. As I pointed out, look at the African nations: massive wealth gap between the average joe and the leaders and just look at how corrupt they are.

I think that any corruption that takes place in the west is down to the fact our politicians are simply paid too much.

Perhaps Singapore ranks so highly because it's too small for any corruption to take place, or the people are so brainwashed by your state-owned media...

 

[retro]

As much as Kelvin is a malaria ridden mosquito, have I missed something? I thought he was pointing out that his countries leaders are the second most overpaid in the World?:willy_nilly:

Except that he's claiming it's okay, because a higher salary means less corruption. :24:

 

[retro]

or the people are so brainwashed by your state-owned media...

I'd like to take obvious answers for $1,000, Alex.