IMO, in part, we have big government (in the sense of scope, not just numbers) because the social controls that worked well in smaller communities, tend not to work as well for urban, mobile societies. The controls are needed and government stepped up to the plate. And in the nature of all large organizations, government moved to solidify its power. The problem with taking back control of our lives from the government is that, at least in our Republic, the majority don't want to. (By majority I mean those who vote). If the People don't want big government, they can stop it by demanding accountability from the people they elect. And not re-electing them if they don't step up to the plate. But its so much easier to let some organ of governmental do it to you, rather than take personal responsibility. Letting the government take responsibility also lets the individual off the hook for the consequences.

I think Whistlestop understated the inefficiency of big business. Having lived in that world for 12 years, and since moved to work for a local government, what I notice is that government is more concerned with looking at the effective use of its resources before they jump into something. I've seen a private company put $12 million into a project that failed, and write the whole thing off as "opportunity cost". Imagine your local government paving a couple of miles of road and then deciding not to use it because it turned out the public didn't need a road there to begin with?

Regards John