The Podcast of the Lotus Eaters The Podcast of the Lotus Eaters #1365
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Mar 2, 2026 They discuss how the state grew from a lean imperial admin to a vast modern bureaucracy and what that spending now covers. They talk about public-sector jobs, contracting, and how a majority of households receive more than they pay. They debate cultural change, claims of being colonised, reactions at football matches, and the rise of a movement called Restore Britain with its proposed policies.
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State Spending Ballooned Since The Empire
- Modern UK state spending dwarfs the 1920s empire budget, showing radical growth in scope and cost.
- Carl Benjamin compares £68.2bn (1922 adj.) to £1.37tn (2025), highlighting an annual deficit of ~£138bn and spending at ~45% of national income.
State Spending Exceeds Average Household Income
- Household-level public spending now exceeds average household income, showing scale of taxation and redistribution.
- Office for Budget Responsibility: government spending ~£48,000 per household vs mean household income ~£36,700.
Quangocracy Siphons Massive Public Funds
- Public employment and arm's-length bodies now compose a huge unaccountable apparatus draining resources.
- They cite ~6.18 million public sector jobs (Sept 2025) and ~305 ALBs spending ~£353bn with ~400,000 staff, a quarter of the government budget.