There is a phenomenon, referred to as the 'ratchet effect' which applies most appropriately to government.

Essentially it occurs when governments create a crisis, and then they convince the general public that they need to increase their power and authority to address the crisis. 

They increase said power and authority by a factor of 10. When the crisis is over they reduce their power to 3 or 4, not returning to the levels prior to the crisis. 

Thus governmental power and authority is always increasing, and never subsiding.