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25-05-2025, 09:12 AM
Yes, high pay for civil servants and ministers in Singapore can cause elitism—especially when it’s not balanced by strong accountability, humility, or genuine ground engagement. Here’s how and why:
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How High Pay Can Cause Elitism:
1. Social and Economic Detachment
Top civil servants and ministers often earn millions, live in private housing, and send their children to elite schools.
This creates a social bubble where they no longer experience or understand the daily financial struggles of ordinary Singaporeans.
2. Mindset of Superiority
High pay is justified using the “meritocracy” argument—that they are the “best and brightest” and thus deserve more.
This can lead to a belief that their views are automatically more correct than others’, even when ground experiences say otherwise.
3. Policy Filtering and Top-Down Culture
Policies tend to be shaped by elite consensus within the government and civil service.
Voices from below (e.g. unions, opposition, NGOs, hawkers, gig workers) are often seen as “noisy” or needing to be “managed,” not truly listened to.
4. Lack of Ground Empathy
With salaries far above the median Singaporean, issues like rising public transport fares, housing stress, or CPF restrictions may be seen as numbers, not lived pain.
5. Self-Protection of Privilege
When high pay becomes the norm, there is an incentive to defend the system that rewards them—even if it means ignoring public criticism or suppressing alternatives.
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Signs of Elitism in Practice:
Leaders saying things like “We mustn’t pander to populism” when rejecting public demands.
Policies that assume everyone is rational, self-reliant, and financially literate—ignoring those who aren’t.
Limited willingness to engage in meaningful debate with opposition or civil society.
Reluctance to consider wealth taxes or pay cuts during tough times.
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Conclusion:
High pay does not automatically cause elitism, but in Singapore’s context—where policymaking is centralized, criticism is muted, and salaries are sky-high relative to the median citizen—elitism is a real and growing risk.
---
How High Pay Can Cause Elitism:
1. Social and Economic Detachment
Top civil servants and ministers often earn millions, live in private housing, and send their children to elite schools.
This creates a social bubble where they no longer experience or understand the daily financial struggles of ordinary Singaporeans.
2. Mindset of Superiority
High pay is justified using the “meritocracy” argument—that they are the “best and brightest” and thus deserve more.
This can lead to a belief that their views are automatically more correct than others’, even when ground experiences say otherwise.
3. Policy Filtering and Top-Down Culture
Policies tend to be shaped by elite consensus within the government and civil service.
Voices from below (e.g. unions, opposition, NGOs, hawkers, gig workers) are often seen as “noisy” or needing to be “managed,” not truly listened to.
4. Lack of Ground Empathy
With salaries far above the median Singaporean, issues like rising public transport fares, housing stress, or CPF restrictions may be seen as numbers, not lived pain.
5. Self-Protection of Privilege
When high pay becomes the norm, there is an incentive to defend the system that rewards them—even if it means ignoring public criticism or suppressing alternatives.
---
Signs of Elitism in Practice:
Leaders saying things like “We mustn’t pander to populism” when rejecting public demands.
Policies that assume everyone is rational, self-reliant, and financially literate—ignoring those who aren’t.
Limited willingness to engage in meaningful debate with opposition or civil society.
Reluctance to consider wealth taxes or pay cuts during tough times.
---
Conclusion:
High pay does not automatically cause elitism, but in Singapore’s context—where policymaking is centralized, criticism is muted, and salaries are sky-high relative to the median citizen—elitism is a real and growing risk.
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