This is what we are approaching…and its great news.

The post-war model (or as Walter Russell Mead calls it the “blue social model“) is rapidly falling apart as its unsustainable fiscal policies and inflexible rule sets.  The commitments and assumptions made before and after World War Two don’t match current reality.  As Kevin Williamson writes:

The real debate for the next 30 years is not how we go about paying our bills, but how we go about not paying them. What is most likely is a much smaller and more modest government, something closer to what Robert Nozick called the “nightwatchman state.” The reason for that is the fact that we have good substitutes for Social Security and the Department of Education but not for the army or the courts.

The future is going to entail less government involvement and greater privatization of services.  All of this will take place in an environment of austerity and slow growth, as we are currently experiencing.

What does this have to do with preparation?

The short-term could get rough, especially with declining government services (think roads, police, fire, and other services) and higher taxes.  Less service for a higher price could lead to increased crime, longer response times, and worn-out infrastructure.  This is already apparent in municipalities across the country that are either bankrupt (ex. Stockton, CA) or struggling to pay their bills (ex. Chicago, IL).  As a citizen, you can expect less from your government, meaning you will have to be more independent and prepared.

The long-term will see a much more stable and resilient country (re)emerge though.  Think back to life before the Progressive Era, the New Deal, World War Two, and the Great Society…there will be less government in people’s lives in the future.  Instead of relying upon government institutions, citizens will have to become more involved in taking care of their needs as well as those of around them.  That requires regular citizens stepping up though and assuming responsibilities that had been given to the state in years past.

My friend Kevin is fond of saying that firearms ownership is the gateway drug to freedom.  I reckon preparation is a gateway drug to greater independence and responsibility, which will lead to a stronger nation.