> That's your interpretation but that's really a political view

Smith's concept of regalian functions is just as much a “political view”.

> and indeed the definition of that third duty is highly subjective.

So are the definition of what particular actions of sovereign are within the boundary of the what is essential within the other two (and all three expressly vary by context, including available physical and social technologies, as perusal of the relevant parts of the Wealth of Nations makes clear.)

> Note that my point wasn't to discuss regalian functions in general but to counter the argument that calling the British NHS 'socialist' was like calling the police or the army 'socialist'.

Which the reference to regalian functions fails to do: all fall within the broad ambit of what could be considered those functions, and whether the dpecifics of either do is debatable, and, in any case, whether or not a function is within the scope of regalian functions is irrelevant to whether or not it is socialist.

It is very relevant otherwise one might indeed draw a parallel with the police and the military, as already said.

As also said, health are is a productive service that has the potential of being 'socialist'.

I'm not here to argue for the sake of it and I don't see any actual argument on the original points in your replies...