well, dave. a miserable government that both oppresses and is parasitic on its people is quite a bit worse if it's very big than if it's very little. a government that wants to make war is much worse if it's very large and wealthy than if it's tiny and poor. on the other hand, of course, an extremely efficient effective government that helps us all prosper and be ethical should of course be of unlimited size or should coincide with everything. i'm trying to call to mind a few examples. but anyway, one might even worry about an excellent government when it grows hugely gigantical. though it oppresses you for good ends, there's no check on the future abuses. now i would say the state has been growing for centuries until we are all its little slaves - prosperous and upwardly mobile though we are - and you might want to take a few minutes out to debate the size of government after all.