Philosophically and culturally there is no free lunch

Should the government feed children?

It may seem like an obvious ‘Yes’ but what if we feed something less desirable?

The School Lunch Programme has been plagued by late deliveries, uneaten meals and most recently, exploding pies. The real problem is not logistics.

It is the cultural shift away from self-reliance.

Let us be clear: this is not about whether poor, hungry children deserve food. They do. A deeper philosophical question is whether we have become so accustomed to the government stepping in that we no longer ask if it should.

State expansion into social welfare dates back to the 1890s.

The radical expansion of the State led a French observer in 1901 Albert Métin to describe New Zealand politics as ‘socialism without doctrine,’ a place where government involvement grew arbitrarily without a grand, cohesive ideological vision.

The Great Depression

Then came the First Labour government. According to popular history, bad economic times justified unprecedented measures. Michael Joseph Savage inherited an economy that had been in recovery for two, yes, two, years from the Great Depression.

Nonetheless, the Social Security Act of 1938 introduced welfare on an unprecedented scale, embedding the expectation that the government would take primary responsibility for social well-being. By the post-war years, state control over healthcare, housing, and employment was entrenched, with government spending doubling.

What began as a safety net became an expectation.

Many Kiwis will ask, “But is it not good for the government to help? Is it fair?”

The problem is that when the state steps in, others step back. Edmund Burke warned that society thrives when responsibility is carried by its ‘little platoons,’ – families, faith groups, and local communities. These small, organic institutions bind people together and cultivate a sense of duty. When the government absorbs their role, it does not just provide, it weakens the structures that hold society together. The more we expect the state to feed our children, the less we expect families to do it. The more we rely on bureaucracy to solve social problems, the more civil society withers.

Bureaucracy and Expense

The government is not neutral. It can often be inefficient, bureaucratic, and expensive.

Evidence? Health New Zealand’s $28 billion Excel spreadsheet.

There is no such thing as a free lunch, taxpayers foot the bill, yet the actual cost is cultural.

Every new government service creates dependence, and dependence runs the risk of control.

As Roger Scruton said, “Top-down government breeds irresponsible individuals, and… widespread refusal among the citizens to act for themselves.”

So, how do we turn back? Not abrupt cuts but gradual shifts.

Support local solutions, schools partnering with charities and businesses rather than defaulting to government programmes. Empower parents by providing resources that help families rather than replace them. Redefine fairness, not as equal outcomes dictated from above, but as communities supporting their own.

Kiwis are proud, independent people, but at present there is a certain dullness of spirit.

Let us revive it, not by demanding more from the state but by reclaiming what we have lost: community, responsibility, and self-reliance. Philosophically and culturally, there is no free lunch.

Jason Heale is the Communications Manager at the Auckland-based Maxim Institute. This independent think tank promotes the dignity of every person in New Zealand by standing for freedom, justice, compassion, and hope.