Government organizations are neither immortal nor unshrinkable. We face a future dominated by resource scarcity. Our choices are two: a change to iron government with civil liberties diminished and resources allocated from the central government.  Or a change in values away from material consumption, a gradual withdrawal from our fascination with economic growth and more efficient use of resources, especially raw materials. The preferable future might not be the most probable future and this prospect should trouble us deeply.