1/15/2009

Beggar Sect - Income distribution

Over the weekend I was watching the Condor Heroes again. This is a series of novels by the great Jin Yong. I don't think there is another equivalent in the western world of authors of this calibre. Ok, the story was a side issue. I was quite impressed with the organisation of the Beggar Sect and the way they distributed their income. The lowest few levels were the foot soldiers that went out to collect donations. This will then be pooled and distributed among the rest of the beggars. There were altogether 9 ranks in the sect, excluding the lowest and the chief. Each level was denoted by one pocket attached to the torn and tattered shirt. The most senior rank had 9 pockets. The distribution of the collection was thus very simple. One dollar to each pocket. 9 pockets $9. I am not sure how much the lowest rank, without pocket with get. Neither do I know how much the chief would get. He had no pockets. With 9 levels of sharing, the ratio is 1:9. The amazing thing is that our national income distribution based on official statistics is very similar to this. The lowest ten percentiles earn less than $1K while the top ten percentiles earn $10K. This is about right if we use the Beggar Sect's formula for income distribution. How more fair can we be?

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

10-90 what

Anonymous said...

Good Morning Redbean and All !!

Redbean Sir, how dare You compare Singapores' Elite Leaders to Beggar Sect Members

Had You have done it during those Emperor's Days, your head would have been hanging outside the main gate of the county for everyone to see.

However, the Beggar Sect Organization in China those days seemed better organized than the way we are governed.

patriot

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

hi patriot, i am comparing the distribution of the population lah.

10:90 same as 1:9 lah.: )

Anonymous said...

My personal preference is 50:1,so our ministers should get about 60k-70k per month.

But of course not in Singapore,as our ex-PM's lady already called S$600,000 a year(S$50k a month) PEANUTS with such huge disdain for all to witness,and ALL PAP MIW kept thier silence-no disagreement.


HOw to change such mentality?I prefer to wait till all of them meet their creator first

Sinner-Spore

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

hi sinner,

monthly salary is not a good number to use. you need to look at annual, including all the bonuses. and more accurately you need to look at the whole package including all the perks.

at the minimum should look at the gross per annum. 1 mth bonus versus 12 mth bonus is heaven and hell.

Anonymous said...

RedBean,frankly I would be very happy if ministers are happy with one peanut(S$600k) a year.

But surely Mrs Goh cant be happy!it is on record.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

honestly they can't. and i can understand. unless the cost of things is reduced where a semi D cost $200k, medical bills $200 etc etc.

when a semi D is costing $2m, how can they afford with a $600k pa income? you can't even buy a 5 rm flat at pinnacles.

Anonymous said...

Cannot work lah! Singapore has no beggars.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

what no beggars? our beggars belong to the first world type. beg in big time on tv and not for 10c or 20c. they want millions!

Anonymous said...

And who is the 9th dan beggar?

Lost Citizen

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

hi lost citizen,

according to my research, the 9 pockets are the 4 elders of the beggar sect. the beggar chief is above these 4 elders.

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