The West is turning against big government - but what comes next?

By Janet Daley

But now that we have all (apart from the ideological androids) come to pretty much the same conclusion, what is to be done? How can the mechanisms that entangle government in virtually every aspect of our personal and communal affairs be disengaged? And how can populations which have, perhaps against their better judgment, become dependent on the state, be enabled to take back what should be their rightful liberties and responsibilities?

The rhetoric is easy and attractive; the actual dismemberment of the beast quite appallingly traumatic. Local sensibilities vary: in France, they go out on the streets and throw things at the police when they are told that they will have to retire at the age of 62, rather than 60. In Britain, there are lobbyists who will defend a housing benefit system that allows people who have never worked to live in accommodation fit for millionaires. So what are the minimum requirements of the new social contract which government must offer to the people if it is to escape from the absurd dilemma of being in charge of everything when it is scarcely any good at running anything? ......More