Quoting: Purple Library Guy

Quoting: Caldathras

Quoting: Purple Library GuyThe US was a better place to live when it had more "nanny state" and that's no co-incidence. So was Canada, so was Britain.

If anyone thinks that there is less "nanny state" now than there was before, they are deluding themselves.

I suppose it depends on your definition. Most people who use the term generally use it to mean "Government doing anything useful". So, building housing, "nanny state"; providing health care, "nanny state"; social safety net, "nanny state"; regulations saying your food can't be poisoned, "nanny state". And, there is a lot less of all that stuff than there used to be in, say, the 70s. If you use it differently from that you're very much in the minority and can't be surprised if people misunderstand you.

Hmm... I thought the use of the phrase would be obvious but your definition is definitely different than mine. However, I can see how your definition could overlap and eventually evolve into mine -- government interference and hand-holding, as if their citizens are all children that need constant guidance (as one would expect from a nanny to her/his underage charges). In recent years, that has been very prevalent.

EDIT: By the way, search the phrase in DuckDuckGo and you will see that my use of the term is not the definition in the minority.

Spoiler, click me

For example: A "nanny state" refers to a government that is perceived as overprotective or excessively involved in the personal choices of its citizens, similar to how a nanny might care for children. This term often carries a negative connotation, suggesting that such government interference limits individual freedom and responsibility.