it is the taxes! how much can one spare when mother state takes half one's income?

XIX century, it is amazing how much was done via charity, mostly locally.

factory workers colleting money to care to victims of work accidents.

even cities... commonly, they were not created via orderns from above. Local people had to organize themselves, build infrastructure and public buildings, and them request the state to declare a new city or village.

the problem: people are so used to the leviathan grabbing their income, they forgot how it was before and do not imagine anything different.

any problem, they cry to the nanny state, and sadly, with reason, because they have nothing to spare and the state has infinite pockets.