Uniquely American Tradition

The New York Times has David Kusnet’s review of Jeff Madrick’s The Case for Big Government.

To those who ask whether any country has ever taxed and spent its way to prosperity, Madrick offers two answers: the United States and its major competitors. In America, the greatest growth in public spending came during the most prosperous period in American history, the 25 years after World War II, when the federal, state and local government budgets “reached roughly 30 percent” of gross domestic product “and income levels in America became more equal.” Among the world’s most prosperous nations, most have higher rates of taxes and public spending, and many may have higher living standards, than the United States. “There really is no example of small government among rich nations,” Madrick observes.