What's more, senior Whitehall officials have long worried that IDS's plan for a new Universal Credit could go the way of the health reforms - ie they sound good in theory but may prove bureaucratic, costly and unpopular in practice.

BBC: Cabinet reshuffle - the best laid plans....

Under this theory, the economically entrenched thrive if there are bigger bureaucratic obstacles, higher fees and more government workers with their hands out.

CNN: Big Little Problems