The argument you’re making is potentially valid but we can’t know for sure as it depends on numbers you don’t provide - how much government growth there’s been since 1990.

There’s two extra nuances too. First, what’s been the corresponding capability growth; and second, what’s been the growth in population served.

It may be that, controlling for these factors, things are more efficient than back then. And to go back would require removing capability that would be missed by some - or be critical due to today’s more complex world.