An older conservative tradition is defined here as governing from evidence instead of applying a fixed ideological formula. On that view, the state should be large enough for the task: mass mobilisation in the Second World War could not be run by a minimal government. The same test applies to privatisation. Moving a monopoly with one taxpayer-funded customer into private ownership can add financing costs without creating real competition. The broader lesson is to judge institutions by the problem, available evidence and actual incentives.
Notable Point · 3:17:23-3:20:02
Government scale should follow the problem
A political aside argues that government size and ownership should follow the task and evidence, illustrated by wartime mobilisation and monopoly privatisation.