---
title: "Prefer Smaller Government"
description: "That's the percentage of Americans who would rather have a smaller government providing fewer services; a statistically equal 43% would prefer a bigger government providing more services."
date: "2007-07-08"
authors:
  - name: "Russell Heimlich"
    job_title: "Former web developer"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/russell-heimlich/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2007/07/08/prefer-smaller-government/"
---

# Prefer Smaller Government

Americans are divided over whether they would rather have a smaller government providing fewer services (45%) or a bigger government providing more services (43%). Democrats and Republicans are polarized on this issue. About two-thirds of Republicans (68%) say they would rather have a smaller government providing fewer services; most Democrats (60%) would prefer a bigger government providing more services. Independents are more closely divided on this issue — 48% say they prefer a smaller government while 40% would rather have a bigger government. [Read More](https://www.pewresearch.org/pubs/434/trends-in-political-values-and-core-attitudes-1987-2007)