[rwissmann]

A lot of very large-scale military and space research, which has provided a lot of the technological basis on which modern Silicon Valley is build.

Most basic research, whether in natural sciences, mathematics or the humanities.

The equation 'large-scale government endeavour = bad' is so simplistic, it is painful to hear otherwise smart people repeat it over and over. The real world is way to complex for this kind of black-and-white armchair economics.