I said last week that we English-speaking countries are in a pathetic situation where the state can’t do hard things. Yes, the state can tax and spend and build roads and to the basics. But in English-speaking countries, the state is losing the ability to do big, ambitious projects. A state can get by without big projects for a while. But ultimately, a state that can’t do the big things is doomed to congestion, high living costs and stagnation.  The UK’s highest-profile failure is HS2. HS2 is the UK’s attempt at building high-speed rail. It’s nothing less than a national humiliation. Most of…

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