Monte wrote:
I would argue that government is an essential part of human society in the present age.
I would agree. That doesn't mean, however, that any given thing government does is necessarily essential or something it should be doing. The government of Zimbabwe is an excellent example. Another good example would be the amazing persistence of the National Helium Reserve which finally started getting liquidated in 2005. I mean really, a strategic reserve of helium? We use the stuff in party balloons.