Can government be restrained?

Nobel Prize winner James Buchanan suggested in his 1990 John Bonython lecture that, while it took about a century for the widespread faith in socialism to die, no widely shared organizing principle seemed to have replaced it. Rather, the Leviathan of interest-driven politics had emerged, one which he opined as difficult to dislodge. Given that Australia has one of the smallest government sectors, a policy designed to move towards to an even smaller government would require a change in the still widely shared culture of belief that extensive government intervention is needed. Although there are some indications that such a cultural change is happening, further substantive progress would require political leadership. In any event, the case for reducing the size of government would not rest simply on the potential for improving economic performance. There is a broader philosophical case that increasing the role and responsibilities of individuals would enhance individual freedom and the functioning of society more generally.