The area of Singapore is 278 sq miles, approximately the size of 17 miles square. Whatever policies that work in such small high density places won't work in larger countries. However, one can try to decentralize as much as possible; such decentralization may not work in large countries either.
In San Francisco, if I count the number of jurisdictions I fall and pay taxes under, I get a number like 7, the typical City/State/Federal tier (minus the County tier as SF is unique in CA for consolidating that into the City tier), and at least 4 special districts that are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head.
Singapore is 1 City 1 Nation. I’m not an expert on precisely how they govern themselves, but it must really help cut through administrative overhead and bureaucracy when the national government is effectively also the local government, responsible for police, fire, the environment, the parks and playgrounds, utilities regulation and national defense.
So if they want to set aside a line item for city cleanup right beneath national security and the public healthcare system, they have the option without debating further past public/private for whose responsibility it is. The government can take the tact that it is either its responsibility or it isn’t, without the complex tax system imposed by several different entities that the US has getting in the way. No federal grants to grant, no support legal challenges in 50+ court systems and various appellate court districts to overcome, no multi-tiered incentive structures, just, “do we have the budget?”
There are certainly more advantages to be had for larger countries, but there are also certain quality of life advantages to not having to be a large country, as long as you are rich anyway.
Was i sounthern Switzerland (Lugano) this spring and was chocked at the difference in cleanliness between Switzerland and Italy. Crossing the border by car, it was like somebody had turn a knob and enabled litter in the background graphics when entering Italy. It was that surreal a difference.
Sure, the exact same policies won't work. But even rural Japan is very clean compared to most of Europe, even, so there clearly are ways to sort it out
