There are plenty of people that truly believe that the best government is that government which governs least. Of course, the type of people that typically believe in that sort of government, are also basically those that have some degree of material success, security, and freedom, which essentially satisfies them. In other words, those that are content with what they so have, and do not desire to see their wealth or income, suffer from high taxation, or to have governmental interference in their affairs, are going to be inclined to appreciate a government that asks very little of them, and they, as citizens, will in return, ask little of their government.
Then there are plenty of others that recognize that government has a good purpose behind it, in which, quite frankly, the infrastructure such as sewage, clean water, electricity, roads, bridges, internet, laws, military defense, and civic governance of all types, are needed in order to have a proper and civil society. After all, there has to be some sort of general structure that society has agreed upon as being worthwhile to have so as to make, in whole, society a better place, for our involvement with it. Additionally, there needs to be institutions created to help those that are the poorest, of ill health, as well as the aged, that deserve to have, in action, competent organizations that can address their necessary needs.
So then, government most definitely has its place, of which, probably the greatest criticism that most people have of our government of today, is the fact, that government appears to be, and often is, an institution that does not in any real form or manner, answer to the people, at all. That is to say, it would appear that big government, operates to its own agenda, which often seems to be at odds to what the people really need or want. The problem, then, is not that we don’t need government, but rather the type of government that we need more of is that government which understands us as a people, on a very local and personal level. Indeed, a big federal government, that imposes its will upon the people is essentially a governance from afar, which because of its sheer size, and its lack of nuance and flexibility, is going to often be a source of complaint and discomfort for the people.
The best government is almost always going to be that government which is local, because a government which is local, when such is made up of almost exclusively a fair representation of those people that are part of that community, in which their involvement as governmental representatives, has been fairly put to the vote, by democratic means, is going to equitably represent the people that they have been duly elected to serve. Indeed, what the people richly desire to have, is a voice, and to have their voice heard and acted upon, which addresses the needs and desires of that community, above all. So too, it is important that those that desire to be our governance, should themselves, be subject to what they so champion, which thus keeps those that are our representatives, grounded in sensibility.