The United States government spending, including federal, state and local, now accounts for 45.9% of Gross Domestic Production (GDP), the highest level since the founding of the republic excluding last year when it crossed 50%.
The federal government itself spent more than $5.7 trillion this 2021 according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), while state and local governments spend $3.7 trillion, the Census of Governments for 2017 data shows.
That makes it a combined nearly $10 trillion out of a GDP of $20.9 trillion, showing the United States currently has the biggest government ever in its entire history.
![Gov Spending, Historical](https://wordpress-1016567-4521551.cloudwaysapps.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/us-government-spending-nears-50-of-gdp.png)
Other countries have it worse. France, even before the extraordinary spending of last year, accounted for 55% of its GDP in 2019.
The United Kingdom as of then was above 40% according to OECD as pictured above. USA was a close 38.3%.
This compares to the United States government spending accounting for just 10% of the GDP even during the second world war in the 1940s. It increases to 20% in the 50s with it only increasing, doubling since.
‘Communist’ China in contrast was at 34% of the GDP in 2019. It increased a bit to 37% in 2020, while US government spending crossed 50%.
This incredible share of economic activity shows there has never been a time when the government has so much say on what we do, on what we produce, and where we work.
Source: https://www.trustnodes.com/2021/11/06/us-government-spending-nears-50-of-gdp