The 10 highest paid politicians in the world

[Jackeens]

1. Lee Hsien Loong - Singapore - Salary in dollars - $2.47 million

2. Donald Tsang Yum-Kuen - Hong Kong - Salary in dollars - $516,000

3. Barack Obama - United States - Salary in dollars - $400,000

4. Brian Cowen - Ireland :banghead: - Salary in dollars - $341,000

5. Nicolas Sarkozy - France - Salary in dollars - $318,000

6. Angela Merkel - Germany - Salary in dollars - $303,000

7. Gordon Brown - UK - Salary in dollars - $279,000

8. Stephen Harper - Canada - Salary in dollars - $246,000

9. Taro Aso - Japan - Salary in dollars - $243,000

10. Kevin Rudd - Australia - Salary in dollars - $229,000

http://timesbusiness.typepad.com/money_weblog/2009/04/the-10-highest-paid-politicians-in-the-world.html


The pecking order changes if the leaders’ pay is divided by the total population:


1. Lee Hsien Loong - Singapore
Salary: $2.47 million
Per head of population: 54c

2. Brian Cowen - Ireland
Salary: $341,000
Per head of population: 9c

3. Donald Tsang Yum-Kuen - Hong Kong
Salary: $516,000
Per head of population: 7c

4. Kevin Rudd - Australia
Salary: $229,000
Per head of population: 1c

5. Stephen Harper - Canada
Salary: $246,000
Per head of population: 0.7c

6. Nicolas Sarkozy - France
Salary: $318,000
Per head of population: 0.5c

7. Gordon Brown - UK
Salary: $279,000
Per head of population: 0.5c

8. Angela Merkel - Germany
Salary: $303,000
Per head of population: 0.4c

9. Taro Aso - Japan
Salary: $243,000
Per head of population: 0.2c

10. Barack Obama - United States
Salary: $400,000
Per head of population: 0.1c

[Jennicut]

1. Singapore...holy crap. Why the hell is the guy paid 2 1/2 million dollars?!

All the rest of these salaries are a drop in the bucket compared to rich CEOs of major corporations.

[Jackeens]

2. The explanation.......

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Hsien_Loong#Controversy

Lee Hsien Loong currently earns an annual salary of S$3,870,000 (US$ 2,856,930 ) <11>, an increase of 25% from S$3,091,200 (US$2,037,168)<12>, making him the highest paid head of government in the world. In comparison, the President of the United States earns a salary of US$400,000<13>. The new salary of SG$3.8 million took effect in January 2008. Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said in parliament that the Singapore head of state and his ministers deserve such a high income because Singapore is a small country that lacks a large pool of talented people.

:wow:

[Jennicut]

5. He sounds like a real winner Jackeens.

[Jackeens]

6. I was once in Singapore for an hour, I should have applied for a Govt job!

[Jennicut]

7. Yeah but if you get in trouble for anything over there you'd be caned or something

Not the nicest of places imo.

[Jackeens]

8. That's true. Okay, I'll stay where I am - poor and uncaned!

[slampoet]

3. Singapore IS A CORPORATION, well pretty much.

The only reason Singapore exists politically is to make money.

[Jennicut]

4. Sounds like it per Wikipedia

"The economy depends heavily on exports and refining imported goods, especially in manufacturing. Manufacturing constituted 26% of Singapore's GDP in 2005.The manufacturing industry is well-diversified with significant electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, mechanical engineering and biomedical sciences manufacturing sectors."


and


"Singapore has been rated as the most business-friendly economy in the world, with thousands of foreign expatriates working in multi-national corporations."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapor

Its sounds like corps come and do what they want. The population is only a bit over 4 million so there is not a ton of people to employ.

No one gets out of line either with laws like this: "There are no jury trials and there are laws restricting the freedom of speech that may breed ill will or cause disharmony within Singapore's multiracial, multi-religious society. Criminal activity is often punished with heavy penalties including heavy fines or caning and there are laws which allow capital punishment in Singapore for first-degree murder and drug trafficking." Wow.

[ShortnFiery]

16. I had the displeasure of living in Singapore as a little girl when my dad served as

a government engineering contractor. I was there during the weeks in 1964 when Martial Law was declared. It was a horrific time in my life.

For all the beautiful and fancy commercials and all the actual BEAUTY of the flora and fauna, Singapore is one AUTHORITARIAN RULED nation. You just don't fuck with the political leadership there.

Who's going to tell him "No?"

http://yalastore.com/product/The-Law-On-Corruption-In-Singapore-Cases-And-Materials.html

[avaistheone1]

9. What is the average worker's salaries and benefits including health and retirement provisions

for these countries? Tthat would be an interesting comparison. Comparing the GDP and the debt of each of these countries would also be valuable. Then having that data let's take a look at these politicians salaries.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

10. Obama's would be miniscule, without question.

Hang on a second and I'll do the calculations for you.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

12. Here's your list

1) Singapore: $15.31/million dollars of GDP
2) Hong Kong: $2.50/million dollars of GDP
3) Ireland: $1.29/million dollars of GDP
4) Australia: $0.25/million dollars of GDP
5) Canada: $0.17/million dollars of GDP
6) France: $0.12/million dollars of GDP
7) UK: $0.10/million dollars of GDP
8) Germany: $0.09/million dollars of GDP
9) Japan: $0.06/million dollars of GDP
10) Obama: $0.03/million dollars of GDP

Note: This is just the list of the top 10 real dollar value salaries.

Sources: The salary list from the OP and the IMF.

[avaistheone1]

13. Thanks Nicholas. Do you have the link for your data?

I would like to take a look at these numbers and take a stab at working with them myself.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

15. Well, try this... I'm not sure if it will work due to its length:

http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2008/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2007&ey=2007&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&pr1.x=33&pr1.y=18&c=512%2C446%2C914%2C666%2C612%2C668%2C614%2C672%2C311%2C946%2C213%2C137%2C911%2C962%2C193%2C674%2C122%2C676%2C912%2C548%2C313%2C556%2C419%2C678%2C513%2C181%2C316%2C682%2C913%2C684%2C124%2C273%2C339%2C921%2C638%2C948%2C514%2C943%2C218%2C686%2C963%2C688%2C616%2C518%2C223%2C728%2C516%2C558%2C918%2C138%2C748%2C196%2C618%2C278%2C522%2C692%2C622%2C694%2C156%2C142%2C624%2C449%2C626%2C564%2C628%2C283%2C228%2C853%2C924%2C288%2C233%2C293%2C632%2C566%2C636%2C964%2C634%2C182%2C238%2C453%2C662%2C968%2C960%2C922%2C423%2C714%2C935%2C862%2C128%2C716%2C611%2C456%2C321%2C722%2C243%2C942%2C248%2C718%2C469%2C724%2C253%2C576%2C642%2C936%2C643%2C961%2C939%2C813%2C644%2C199%2C819%2C184%2C172%2C524%2C132%2C361%2C646%2C362%2C648%2C364%2C915%2C732%2C134%2C366%2C652%2C734%2C174%2C144%2C328%2C146%2C258%2C463%2C656%2C528%2C654%2C923%2C336%2C738%2C263%2C578%2C268%2C537%2C532%2C742%2C944%2C866%2C176%2C369%2C534%2C744%2C536%2C186%2C429%2C925%2C178%2C746%2C436%2C926%2C136%2C466%2C343%2C112%2C158%2C111%2C439%2C298%2C916%2C927%2C664%2C846%2C826&s=NGDPD&grp=0&a=

That's the GDP data. The salaries were taken from above.

[avaistheone1]

17. I appreciate the link. I hope to work with these numbers later.

[camera obscura]

11. Not bad, Obama. Still, if I was prez I'd take a big salary cut first thing coming into office

I find it just ridiculous how the pay has grown and grown over the years. Free room, free board, and you're guaranteed a steady income for the rest of your life after four-to-eight years. Heck, even Bush is getting a book deal and speaking engagements.

[avaistheone1]

19. It is also easy for a president to become a very wealthy man after they leave office.

Just look at all the millions of dollars Bill Clinton is making. Obama will likely make even more money.

[gauguin57]

14. OK, I'm sending out my resume today for the job of running Singapore.

That's gotta be a sweet deal ... you just hang out, and cane anyone who gets outta line.

[firefox28]

18. Obama's perks

But President Obama gets the White House, Camp David, Marine and Air Force One, the largest secret service detail, the most highly protected limo--does tht add up to close to a million dollars of benefits?

[harun]

20. They should get more.