5-2a2.1 Know what you are measuring it with

“Government size is period dependent, invalidating cross-temporal comparisons. At no point have governments been more effectively intrusive, thanks to technology. In Europe, governments account for 40–50% of GDP (higher in France particularly if you include education). In the U.S., it’s higher than reported when you include local government and recent interventions. A century ago, governments were under 15% of GDP, often less than 5%.” – Nassim Taleb (20250923)

Previous:

• 5-2a0 Know what to measure
• 5-2a1 You get what you measure
• 5-2a2 What gets measured gets managed

Related Essay:

• To Measure or Not To Measure, That Is The Question