paulsmith, the acid test is probably mobility. Do you think Carmack would still be a millionaire with a similar quality of life in a lower tax jurisdiction like Singapore? Probably he would. An even lower tax jurisdiction like Somalia? Probably not. Seasteading (www.seasteading.org) is an interesting experiment which can help us empirically find exactly where that "minimum necessary government" point is. Judging by the migration choices of many Chinese and Indian expats, for many people that promised land is no longer today's USA.