The outsourcing business Carillion has gone bust because its bids for government work have been far too low. The problems raised by such contracts are not new.

The Romans outsourced a great deal of state business. The Bible’s ‘publicans’ were wealthy publicani (lit. ‘men engaged on public business’). No doubt aided by the occasional sinner, they formed powerful and influential partnerships to bid at auction for state work of every hue — collection of taxes and harbour dues, provision of military and civilian supplies, building and repairing roads, bridges and aqueducts, running the mines, waste disposal and so on.