> It's usually a good bet (i.e., it pays off more times than not), IMHO.

If that was actually true, why do you put up with The State? Why do you not overthrow it? Seriously: if the state/government is bad why do you even have it?

Is the (municipal) State being a bad actor when it paves roads and runs water-sewage? Is the (state/provincial) State a bad actor when it runs schools? Is the (federal) State being a bad actor when it protects waters with Coast Guard and Navy and enviornmental regulation, when it inspects food, funds science and medicine?

It seems to me you get what you expect: the (e.g.) Nordics expect government to be a good actor and try to live up to those expectations; (some?) Americans expect government to be a bad actor and try to dismantle it… creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. Perhaps if more Americans expected and fought for / 'demanded' better government they would get it.

Governments are overthrown regularly (I count 13 such cases just in the 2010s). Mine hasn't yet made it to the point where such actions are needed --- if and when it does, you may judge me by my actions.

As for why we have government: the alternatives are unstable and devolve into government, or are weak easily brought to the submission of other states (those powers having a natural incentive in land, people [historically: slaves], and other natural resources to invade weak or disorganized neighbors).

Re. your other points, if we can have those discussions we're likely not in the grips of tyranny. Tyranny has a way of making you accept the potholes and the fact you don't have water 5/7 days (beats dying in a labor camp, and you probably don't have fuel for your car anyway).

Since you asked, though: Paving and water/sewage are not inherently tyrannical. Acquiring the right of way may be. Schools are not inherently tyrannical, but may be used subversively to produce a populace willing to be governed under tyranny. Protecting territorial waters it not inherently tyrannical, but military might can certainly be used in a tyrannical manner. Inspection of food and funding of science and medicine are not inherently tyrannical, but the taxation required for that funding may be, as could be e.g., requiring the use of the output of that funded medicinal research.

In summary, I'm saying that every government must be watched carefully by its citizens lest it devolve into tyranny. By assuming this trend (demonstrated time and again through history) to be indicative of future risk, I am prepared for that eventuality. By continued vigilance, I implicitly fight for the opposite. By continued discourse, I demand the same of my peers (and they of me, mitigating my own tyrannical traits).

Personally, I wouldn't trade my government (imperfect though it may be) for a 50% nominal tax rate and sub-arctic climate. That said, it's no surprise to me that the Kingdom of Norway, a parliamentary monarchy with 4% the land area and less than half the population density vs. USA, populated by 80% ethnic Norwegians, would have a very different form of and perspective on government than the third largest country (by land mass), de-facto world hegemon, a federated republic populated by 360 million children of colonists and immigrants. Horses for courses.