Yes. And the key to opposing hypertrophy of government is to recognize and promote the distinction between society and government:http://www.ushistory.org/paine/commonsense/sense2.htm  Common Sense by Thomas Paine (1776) Of the Origin and Design of Government in General, with Concise Remarks on the English Constitution SOME writers have so confounded society with government, as to leave little or no distinction between them; whereas they are not only different, but have different origins. Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness; the former promotes our happiness POSITIVELY by uniting our affections, the latter NEGATIVELY by restraining our vices. The one encourages intercourse, the other creates distinctions. The first is a patron, the last a punisher.You didnt build that is the socialist rationalization for growing the government - but although there is in fact some truth to the argument, the government didnt build that either.Society in every state is a blessing, but Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one: for when we suffer, or are exposed to the same miseries BY A GOVERNMENT, which we might expect in a country WITHOUT GOVERNMENT, our calamity is heightened by reflecting that we furnish the means by which we suffer. Government, like dress, is the badge of lost innocence; the palaces of kings are built upon the ruins of the bowers of paradise. For were the impulses of conscience clear, uniform and irresistibly obeyed, man would need no other lawgiver; but that not being the case, he finds it necessary to surrender up a part of his property to furnish means for the protection of the rest; and this he is induced to do by the same prudence which in every other case advises him, out of two evils to choose the least. Wherefore, security being the true design and end of government, it unanswerably follows that whatever form thereof appears most likely to ensure it to us, with the least expense and greatest benefit, is preferable to all others.
Society contributes to everything you do - but if youve got a business, you have to work to a bottom line in order to keep that business from decaying and stopping. Not government - not even society - will do that, because if it is everyones" responsibility it is actually no ones responsibility. And it simply will not get done. And still less would it have gotten done during the startup phase of the business, when everyone but you was saying your business would never pay the rent. And on average, everyone else was right - most business ventures fail.
So I guess you did "build that," after all . . .
I believe that from a healthy respect for the rights and freedoms of the individual a happy and free society is formed - a society with minimal laws and minimal government, where individuals are ruled by self-governance, not other men. But it takes faith and bravery to live in a free society.
Like our Founders, I am not sure how long a free society can remain free without a faith in God as the moral compass of what is good and how to behave. And you also need faith to be brave. Bravery is necessary because nobody owes you anything nor has any power or right over you and you the same with them. It means we're on our own to sink or swim, but there's no one standing in your way to make the most of your opportunities.
Many people have died to live in such a society.
I also believe Jesus died to give us such a society wherein we find happiness and freedom. It looks like man is incapable of maintaining such a society for very long, as evidenced by the history of the world in general and the last 100 years of America in particular. But someday soon, He personally will arrive to create and himself rule such a society for 1000 years and beyond. I can't wait.
(A word of warning: even sooner, there will be a counterfeit world ruler who will come before Jesus comes and will crush many with his oppression and many will be fooled by him. But God will protect those who have received Jesus Christ from this "anti-Christ." If you haven't received Jesus as your Savior, now is a great time to do so.)
:-)
socialist rationalization
Tremendous discernment of an evil parasite attacking and feeding off other's individual accomplishment. (POSOTUS/socialists/totalitarians are wicked)