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Originally Posted by furball
I believe that the State exists to do what individuals cannot do themselves. It is not there to run things for the sake of running them, not should it try to. What the State is able to do is to right the wrongs that individuals have created. Where individuals (and their businesses) cannot be trusted to do things properly, the State regulates. Two examples of this - environmental regulation and competition law. Environmental regulation is necessary because otherwise, in an effort to save costs, companies will pollute. Competition law is necessary because otherwise business practices will evolve to restrain newcomers from entering the market - in other words, cartels. Furthermore, predator monopolies will kill off new entrants to the market. This is not acceptable because it results in economic inefficiency. However, when not righting these wrongs, the State should step back and let people get on with it.
Nevertheless the State is also needed to provide a safety net for those that cannot provide for themselves. There are fundamental human needs that the market itself cover completely, because businesses require a profit and those who already cannot provide for themselves cannot supply that profit. For example, I believe that no-one should suffer or die from an illness, disease or condition that is curable. We have seen in America that the market cannot provide a solution; too many people fall through the gaps (16% of Americans do not have health insurance). No-one should be in the situation where they know that a cure exists, but they cannot afford it. If you have a condition that is easily treatable in the present, it should be treated no matter what your means - and certainly shouldn't be allowed to worsen until you qualify for free treatment.
There are similar situations regarding housing, education, policing and the military, among other things.
Critically, the State's safety net is just that - the provision of the most basic needs. If you wish to have superior quality treatment, you should pay for it. Private hospitals, and the use of them through medical insurance, should be encouraged. Private schools are a result of the market, but anyone who attends a state school should still receive a complete academic education. The same can be said for just about every other issue, where the market does not result in an unhappy perversion. For example, net neutrality is vital because otherwise the telecommunications market will close itself off to new entrants.
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