The US has always had ‘big government’ – even in the Colonial era

(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Sidney Shapiro, Wake Forest University and Joseph P. Tomain, University of Cincinnati

(THE CONVERSATION) Paralyzed by its most radical members, the House of Representatives passed just 27 bills that became law in 2023 — down nearly 90% from the previous year. Republicans who see big government as a threat to liberty view this failure as a “success.”

The idea of small government, however, is a myth at odds with U.S. history. In our new book, “How Government Built America,” we explore the extent to which the U.S. government has intervened in markets since the Colonial era. It turns out the country has always had big government.

Big government, 18th-century style

Small-government advocates claim that the idea of limited government is foundational to the United States. But the Founding Fathers – including the ones who appear on today’s US$1 and $10 bills – called for the new government to intervene in markets.

Consider the situation in the late 18th century. After the U.S....