Taking Back Our Stolen History
Nanny State
Nanny State

Nanny State

A term of British origin (popularized by the British and American tobacco industry and later PM Margaret Thatcher) that conveys a view that a government or its policies are overprotective or interfering unduly with personal choice. The term likens government to the role that a nanny has in child rearing. The central government believes it has the comprehensive and moral duty to protect the citizenry from itself and acts with an excessive desire to govern and control society in the name of “protection.” NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s May 2012 proposal to restrict the sale of soft drinks is a perfect example of nanny state monitoring and restriction that, though perhaps a good recommendation, infringes on personal liberty.