Herbert Spencer

To the question — What is rep­re­sen­ta­tive government good for? our reply is — It is good, especially good, good above all others, for doing the thing which a government should do. It is bad, especially bad, bad above all others, for doing the things which a government should not do.

Herbert Spencer, “Representative Government — What Is It Good For?” in Essays: Scientific, Political & Speculative, Volume III (1891).