Alongside the mostly economic arguments about the role of government, many countries are experiencing widespread disillusionment with politics and a growing distance between citizens and government (particularly national government). In many countries, participation rates in national elections are falling, and new parties and movements, such as the Pirate Party in Germany and the Five Star Movement in Italy, reflect strong discontent with existing governance.
除了主要集中在经济层面上的对政府角色的争论之外，许多国家都在经历着民众对政治的大规模幻灭以及民众和政府（尤其是国家政府）之间不断增大的距离感。在许多国家，全国大选的参与率不断下降，而新的党派和运动，例如德国的海盗党（Pirate Party）和意大利的五星运动（Five Star Movement）都反映出人们对当前政府的极度不满。