Quote of the day

If the roads, the railways, the banks, the insurance offices, the great joint stock companies, the universities, and the public charities, were all of them branches of the government; if, in addition, the municipal corporations and local boards, with all that now devolves on them become departments of the central administration; if the employees of all these different enterprises were appointed and paid by the government, and looked to the government for every rise in life; not all the freedom of the press and popular constitution of the legislature would make this country free otherwise than in name'

J S Mill, quoted by Hannan and Carswell in The Plan, 12 months to renew Britain (p 145).

Sadly it seems we reached this situation some time ago...