We could have lost to Hitler if big government had not developed the atom bomb.
1 - We would not have been defeated without the bomb. Hitler was already defeated and dead by the time almost anyone not involved in the project knew about the bomb. Japan's surrender was probably hastened by the bomb (which may have made using it the lesser of two evils since a more prolonged time before surrender would have resulted in more death), but Japan had already pretty much lost, and they just wouldn't admit it.
2 - Hitler wouldn't have been a serious danger, if it wasn't for big government on the part of Germany. The same goes for the military leadership in Japan.
3 - The military, in a time of active major war, provides some justification for large, but still limited government. Large in that its going to be spending a lot and doing a lot. But it only provides limited real justification for controlling anything outside the military area even during the war, and no justification for big government generations later.
As for the north vs the south, the north had more capital. It produced more through the free market, which gave more surplus for the government to grab to use for the war effort.
Roads and bridges, can to an extent be provided by the private sector. That extent, is much greater than what's done now. In any case take all the expense for the military (which you think is too big anyway), roads and bridges, toss in law enforcement, primary and secondary education (which don't have to be provided by the government even if we want them to be "free" for everyone), and the judiciary, and you still don't have a majority of government spending, or much justification for government trying to order people around. |
