Big government

Big government is a term generally used by conservatives and libertarians to describe a government or public sector that they consider to be excessively large and involved in certain areas of public policy or the private sector. The term may also be used specifically in relation to government policies that attempt to regulate matters considered to be private or personal, such as private sexual behavior or individual food choices. The term has also been used to define a dominant federal government that seeks to control the authority of local institutions - an example being the overriding of state authority in favor of federal legislation.

Big government is primarily defined by its size, measured by the number of employees or budget, either in absolute terms or relative to the overall national economy. The size of government can also be reckoned by the number of "spheres of involvement". The concept can also be defined by the perceived role of government in society, the quality of services (that is, the impact of government effort), and the degree of democracy and societal representation.

The term can be applied to numerous bureaucratic criticisms:

Commentators who use the term are often concerned about government delivery of public goods, and government involvement in the formulation and implementation of laws and policies concerning civil rights, social justice, and social welfare.

Other commentators combine criticism of big government with criticism of "big business", "big labor", "big oil", "big tobacco" and "big Pharma".

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