Democracy, Contract, Government Size

Hobbes' pioneering insight is that the distinctive characteristic of Democracy is the consent of the ruled to be ruled, hitherto lacking in e. g. conquering or inherited regimes.  Grounding that consent, either implicitly or explicitly, is a contractual arrangement between ruler and ruled, in which the latter receive something in return.  So, one of the prominent debates in the subsequent tradition--'small government' vs. 'big government'--can be understood in the context of such a contract--negative service, e. g. enforcement of non-interference, vs. positive service , e. g. provision of subsistence.  However, both sides of that debate are typically presented dogmatically, i. e. as if each were an intrinsic good.  Both thus fail to address the underlying criterion--effectiveness in promoting the strength of a collective.