Nanny state

"Nanny state" is an expression, popularized in Britain in the 1960s and 1980s, for government that tries to protect citizens from their own choices through rules, taxes and bans. Examples critics cite include limits on sugary drinks, bans on certain foods, mandatory seat belts and helmet laws, and restrictions on tobacco and e-cigarettes.

The term is almost always used by critics. Libertarians and conservatives argue that adults should be free to make decisions about their own lives, that such rules infringe on individualism and that they are costly and frequently ineffective. Defenders of such policies, who might accept the label of "paternalism," argue that people make predictable mistakes, that behavioral science justifies "nudges" and that public health rules protect others and reduce shared costs such as health care.

Reasonable people can disagree on where to draw the line between protecting people and respecting autonomy. The debate often centers on public health measures, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, when mandates on masks and gatherings were criticized by some as overreach and defended by others as necessary. Related terms include the welfare state, and the underlying philosophy is the argument for limited government.