“Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.”
Thomas Paine, Common Sense, 1776
Discussion
Paine was wrong on this one. It is not a necessary evil, there ARE no necessary evils. A free market provides every service the state does, but faster, cheaper and at higher quality. There's nothing the state does better or is required for, so no, it is in no way a necessary evil.