Such is not the case with the State, especially before the establishment of representative government.

Whether or not we require its services, whether they are good or bad, we are obliged to accept such as are offered and to pay the price.
It is the tendency of all men to magnify their own services and to disparage services rendered them, and private matters would be poorly regulated if there was not some standard of value.

This guarantee we have not, (or we hardly have it,) in public affairs.

But still society, composed of men, however strongly the contrary may be insinuated, obeys the universal tendency.

The government wishes to serve us a great deal, much more than we desire, and forces us to acknowledge as a real service that which sometimes is widely different, and this is done for the purpose of demanding contributions from us in return.
The State is also subject to the law of Malthus.