If you’re like most people, then you’ve probably asked yourself: are government regulations jeopardizing my liberty? The answer is an undeniable yes. Governments, of all kinds, have a long history of creating more regulations in order to limit our liberty, from regulating currencies to violating our freedoms of expression. Historically, governments have used their regulatory powers to stifle competition, create monopolies and shut out newcomers with costly and repetitive regulations. We can look at the United States’ 1800s railroad industry as an example; when the railroads were initially being built, the government adopted regulations which caused the rate of building to fall far below the critical rate needed to establish a comprehensive, national railroad network.