Is the growth of government directly proportional to the failures of free-market capitalism?

[ideogenetic]

Social Security- offsets low wages and the paradox of thrift
Medicaid/Medicare- created to remedy the failed private health insurance market
Antitrust Division of the DOJ- resists the monopolistic tendencies of capital
FDA- created to watch for snake-oil salesmen.
FDIC- Insures bank deposits from the dangers of runs in a fractional reserve banking system
Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP)- created to remedy failed Wall Street financial engineering
Unemployment Insurance- well, you get the picture...
Etc, etc, etc.

[jakeb]

Yes, many politicians use every down period to gain more control over the populace.

[Elephantman]

How do you tell a communist? Well, it's someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell an anti-Communist? It's someone who understands Marx and Lenin.
Ronald Reagan

The government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
Ronald Reagan

The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'
Ronald Reagan

[doofuss]

I think that Government grows at about twice the rate of failures in the free market.