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mk · 4559 days ago · link · · parent · post: The inconvenient history of Silicon Valley: Uncle Sam's most successful Startup
Off the top of my head: Law enforcement, fire protection, park services, primary education, fundamental healthcare, the judicial system, regulatory agencies (environmental, financial, health care, energy production, food safety, product safety), the penal system, voting services, and unemployment services.
I'm sure I can think of plenty more, but the litmus test is basically: "anywhere that a profit motive will pervert a desired neutrality and/or equality of service or its delivery". That's basically the purpose of government, after all. It provides the necessary services for the foundation of a civil society.