The twentieth century witnessed a decline of the American commitment to limited government and extensive private property rights. When the century began, our govern­ment still approximated a minimal state. We did not practice pure laissez faire, but we still placed severely binding restraints on government and al­lowed few intrusions of its potentially awesome power into the economic affairs of individual citizens. But government now suf­fuses every aspect of economic and social life. Merely to list its numerous powers would require a large volume: our farms and factories, our homes and schools, our health care, even our recreation—all feel its impact. . . .