*casts resurrect*
I'm mostly in agreement with Derf in this discussion, in that I don't think super high wages can be justified by the work put in or even the responsibility anymore. But I also don't think there is much we can do about it anymore...the government(s) have long lost any sort of control they may have had over multinationals and massive corporations. The majority of people who are in politics in almost any Western country I can think of will take up seats in the boardrooms of big companies after their political careers - which are much more short-lived than 50 years ago, I might add. They're there as advisors, directors, whatever.
Now, it doesn't take a conspiracy theorist to see that it would be silly for these people to enforce rigid rules that curb the power and/or wealth of these corporations. Politics is relatively speaking a fool's game for people who want to amass wealth and power. Their wages are very good compared to us, but they're a pittance of what any big time CEO makes. I know that the wage of Belgium's prime minister is around 10k (euros), for example. They get extralegal benefits like a car with a driver etc of course, but even then that's not a massive fortune by any means.
Anyway, it's a discussion with a lot of fuzzy areas (what is a "super high" wage? how do you value/weigh responsibility? etc) so I always understand when people have a different perspective on this matter. There is one thing that almost no one can excuse, though, and that are the exorbitant "golden parachutes" that are standard fare for any self-respecting CEO of a decent calibre. That people are paid a lot for their performance is something I can still somewhat appreciate, but that they are paid a huge sum of money for being incompetent/getting fired is absolutely mind-boggling. If you and me do a shitty job we're put on the street without a dime, and soon unemployment money will dry up too.
It's an insane practice that can only exist because of the incestuous relationship between the CEOs, the boards of directors and the main shareholders. Theoretically, the board of directors and the main shareholders are supposed to keep the CEO in check. In reality, the people with the means and power to be a main shareholders/to be a member of the board (not rarely the same people) are part of the same almost closed circuit as the CEOs. It's a simple law of economics that people tend to act in their own best interest before anything else, and it's reflected well in our rotten system.
Oh well...I try not to worry about it too much. I guess I'll just go back to my job tomorrow where I get paid 50 € extra per month for having twice the workload and responsibility of my direct colleagues.
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