I wrote in another post about 'concept creep' where terms outgrow their original meaning.

There is another type of creep which is both observable and important to understand. That is the concept of 'control creep'.

What I mean by this is the inevitable expansion of governmental control over the population under its charge. 

When this nation was in its infancy the government interfered very little in the day to day affairs of men. Today the government has spread like a creeping vine into every area of our lives. We are often prevented from doing as we wish with what is ours, and forced to do what we do not wish with what is ours.

Taxation is the primary mechanism employed to increase the encroachment into and restriction of our basic freedoms.

 In his book Democracy in America, Tocqueville warned that a powerful, central government could extend its influence over society with a "network of petty, complicated rules". This form of control is characterized by a government that does not openly oppress its people but instead gradually manages and directs every aspect of their lives.