The 11th Function of Government

In reference to the government paying able-bodied people not to work , I previously claimed that “the cold, hard truth is that this is the worst economic decision that a society can make.”

The logic is obvious. Not only does such a policy diminish the percentage of the population that is economically productive, is also discourages those that are working, that are trying to make ends meet.  Why would this not result in a downward spiral of productivity, and a gradual reduction in the quality of life for all?

There is a reason why fewer can afford homes today.

But I now acknowledge that my prior claim was incorrect.

No, the far worse economic (and political) decision that a society can make is to enable fraud, to turn a blind eye to the able-bodied people that are simply stealing from society.  While the negative economic impact is equal to the prior economically challenged policy, at least the prior was legal.  On top of the reduction in productivity, this new “policy” also encourages criminal behavior and corruption, the exact opposite of law & order.

Far worse, because an economically productive free market-based economy is only possible when law and order are being enforced.  The greater the fraud, the greater the poverty.

Why was this path of fraud so easy to follow by so many in Minnesota, and probably elsewhere?

Part of the answer is that as the size of government has grown, so has the level of dependency on government.  Government welfare (Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP, etc.) now account for over 50% of federal government spending.

Why do we have so many federal government welfare programs?  And within these agencies, is there really a financial incentive to decrease the number of dependents, to literally work themselves out of a job? Or does the opposite incentive exist, as in job preservation?

Why has it become so easy to apply for welfare? To receive welfare? To steal welfare?

The most plausible explanation is that those who distribute the federal funds are state employees, i.e., it is not their money, there is no penalty for squandering it.  And certainly, there is political reasons to maximize this outflow.

A simple remedy would be for the federal government to transfer all welfare responsibilities (except for Social Security) to the States.  Let them raise their own revenue and redistribute their own wealth.  This will make them more mindful of how it is spent. Spending other people’s money is always problematic, but the more detached one is from the other people, the less likely you are to care.

All this bloat and inefficiency got me thinking about the purpose of government.  Is its primary purpose to simply redistribute our wealth, or hopefully, some other higher purposes?

According to ChatGPT…

Here are 10 widely accepted core functions of a government, explained clearly and neutrally:

1. Maintain law and order

   Enforce laws, prevent crime, and ensure public safety through police and courts.

2. Provide national defense

   Protect the country from external threats through armed forces and security services.

3. Make and enforce laws

   Create laws through a legislative process and ensure they are applied fairly.

4. Administer justice

   Resolve disputes, interpret laws, and protect rights through an independent judicial system.

5. Protect individual rights and freedoms

   Safeguard basic human and civil rights such as freedom of speech, equality before the law, and due process.

6. Provide public goods and services

   Supply services that markets often cannot, such as roads, public transport, sanitation, and emergency services.

7. Manage the economy

   Regulate markets, collect taxes, control public spending, and promote economic stability and growth.

8. Provide social welfare and public support

   Assist vulnerable populations through healthcare, education, unemployment support, and social safety nets.

9. Conduct foreign policy and diplomacy

   Represent the country internationally, negotiate treaties, and maintain peaceful relations with other nations.

10. Environmental protection and resource management

    Protect natural resources, regulate pollution, and ensure sustainable development.

Note that the #1 function (purpose) is to maintain law & order, while holding the #8 position is providing welfare. It is not clear to me if this list is in order of priority.  That would be a whole new topic of discussion.

While the economy is mentioned in item #7, I personally would like to see an added function #11 that states:

Maximize Economic Growth

To advance science and technology, and to increase the standard of living.

The challenge is of course that “maximizing economic growth” implies that the size of government will have to be constrained, implying a constraint on the other ten functions, but especially the welfare component.

Which raises the question as to whether we need a 12^th function, which would be to “stabilize the currency”, as this will force fiscal constraint.

One can only hope.