[Twixes]

That depends on the market. There are valid reasons for states to get involved in business:

* some markets can never be free due to their nature (their services are not negotiable): e.g. medical care, pharmaceuticals

* some markets just create monopolies or else are horribly inefficient: e.g. metropolitan transportation, railways

* sometimes it's better that the government-funded service doesn't need to make a profit, because that way it can serve more of the government's people better: e.g. housing, education, public transport in general

* even stronger influence can be exerted on other states if you control powerful companies operating there: e.g. PRC's approach

[perilunar]

Well I think that some of that falls generally under market 'failure', so I don't necessarily disagree. But when the market is working the government should butt out.