For over two centuries, the United States of America has remained a land of opportunity. The nation has a vibrant market economy which has enabled levels of economic entrepreneurship unsurpassed anywhere else on earth. Yet, even from our nation’s earliest days, America’s founders recognized the perils of a market left solely to the desires of industry and individuals. So, while Americans pride themselves on a commitment to the free market, government has historically played a large, and often under-appreciated, role in the day-to-day functioning of the economy. 

Pew’s Markets program is developing a robust fact base that captures the extent to which the federal government is involved in various aspects of the economy; quantifies the impacts of that engagement; and shines a spotlight on examples of waste and inefficiency.