zlacker

> to keep the roads open and the lights on

I'd cynically add:

> and to prevent people from killing and robbing each other each day

There's a reason we have Wikipedia articles like this one:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highwayman

>>oblio+(OP)
I do agree with the power of government to break the prisoners dilemma regarding to public works, but not that they have that much control over people's behavior.

The tendency of people to follow laws has shown little relation to blunt enforcement. It has to do with peoples tendency to follow norms.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_cohesiveness