A government that interferes in everything is a disorganized government, and disorganization provides great opportunities for corruption. This “norm” for doing business has been copied by the powerful, well-connected concerns that habitually win huge government contracts by underbidding their competitors then get the government to change the terms in their favor, costing taxpayers billions in over-payments.

As Ariel Sharon starts his own party, Israeli politics might finally focus on economics.

The wildest optimist could not have expected that for two consecutive years Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu would manage not only to slash the government budget by very significant amounts but actually shrink our bloated public sector (which employs every third person in Israel) by reducing salaries and eliminating jobs.

That Netanyahu has also begun to tackle one of the thorniest economic problems bedeviling all democracies, the bankrupt public pensions funds, and has also vowed to continue privatizing government-owned assets – including the banks, the ports and the electric and water monopolies – shows extraordinary determination and political courage.

Whoever wins next week’s election will find that Israel is not easily governable, perhaps not at all. It will therefore be close to impossible to implement many of his plans or under-takings. There may ensue a deeper frustration with the political process and even a dangerous despair of democracy.

This is not only because of the obvious reason that made former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pull out of a race he was sure to win – namely, the total dysfunction of a Knesset that is torn into so many factions that only the worst populist measures seem to get it galvanized. It is also because the basically rickety machinery of the Israeli government is moved by the bureaucracy’s own agendas, which often conflict with those of the legislature, or even with the wishes of their titular bosses, the ministers and the prime minister above all.