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Re:Mark Zuckerberg Agrees to Give Away Fortune by bertil on Thursday December 09, 2010 @07:35AM (#1987151)
> Governments are typically terrible financial stewards

Well, no: many governments are far more responsible than most individuals. That's not true in counties were everyone criticize the government as strongly as you do in the United States, but in countries where government positions are prestigious, the most talented people work there. As recently demonstrated, financial incentives are no where as efficient as job safety and support for creative tasks, this is why a system that promote civic dedication has tremendous impact.

Re:Mark Zuckerberg Agrees to Give Away Fortune by quadhome on Thursday December 09, 2010 @08:49AM (#1987373)
What's a country where government positions are prestigious for reasons other than they're an opportunity to participate in bribery and corruption? (Switzerland?)
Re:Mark Zuckerberg Agrees to Give Away Fortune by Benjo on Thursday December 09, 2010 @09:28AM (#1987511)
From what I understand, the government of Singapore keeps corruption low just by paying their officials a lot. The president makes about $3 million.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Singapore

It may just be an anecdote but it seems like a reasonable system to me.

EDIT: had the wrong dollar amount.

Re:Mark Zuckerberg Agrees to Give Away Fortune by dualogy on Thursday December 09, 2010 @11:22AM (#1987961)
Germany had the same "strategy". I'm not sure pre-emptively bribing every official up-front really solves the "cost" issue to Joe Sixpack. Corruption might be more affordable in the end...
Re:Mark Zuckerberg Agrees to Give Away Fortune by cellshade on Thursday December 09, 2010 @11:12AM (#1987924)
That wikipedia page says about 3 million, not 300 million.
Re:Mark Zuckerberg Agrees to Give Away Fortune by Benjo on Thursday December 09, 2010 @11:26AM (#1987979)
My mistake: fixed.
Re:Mark Zuckerberg Agrees to Give Away Fortune by bertil on Thursday December 09, 2010 @07:36PM (#1989986)
Some countries value what you can't buy. Peerage works well in the UK, and is rather cheap. In France, the possibility to spend a career working in central historical buildings makes the best minds cram for decades.