Running Government Like A Business

My latest at the Partial Observer:

This is easier to grasp if you imagine yourself the absolute monarch of your country. Your wealth depends on the wealth of your country. You want a satisfied citizenry, not a citizenry that will migrate or start a revolution to overthrow you. You would want to provide certain infrastructure, such as good roads, railroads, sanitation, and reliable courts of law, much as an apartment landlord would provide safe elevators and clean hallways. And, as the value of the land rises with the improvements you make on it, you would charge the people “rent” accordingly. With the revenue from these rents, you would invest in further improvements, and keep a little extra profit for the royal family. That is running the government like a business.