Singapore pays its cabinet ministers exceedingly well. But the other side of that coin is that the ruling party, the People's Action Party, which has won re-ele

Singapore pays its cabinet ministers exceedingly well. But the other side of that coin is that the ruling party, the People's Action Party, which has won re-election every time since independence, has a pretty strict standard of who gets to join the party, and the previous generation of leaders have always been extremely judicious in who gets elevated to the rank of minister with the accompanying high salary. The parallel is saying "Pay your employees well". Well of course, but you can't hire all and sundry and expect magic to happen in your startup. Incentives certainly matter, and can lead to great outcomes, but you can't have the wrong people in the seat in the first place. It is not just a pay issue that results in incompetent people in government.