In any case, there is some evidence that the rich do better than the poor at linking pay and performance.

FORBES: The Baseball Enigma

In September, the journal Pediatrics published a widely circulated study linking shows like "SpongeBob" to kids' poor performance on tests of skills such as following rules.

WSJ: Viacom's SpongeBob Crisis

It also rules out linking grants to performance, saying this will mean people with poor services face a "double whammy" of having to pay higher council tax for services.

BBC: News | UK | Country councils demand rural taskforce