Another One for Arfinn

[lehighguy]

The smaller European countries (Norway, Ireland, Netherlands, etc.) have been able to build very good socialist societies by avoiding the worst drawbacks of those idealogies. Just look at the foresight the Norewegian Oil Fund shows. Often, they get a bad wrap because of the pitiful way France of Germany run thier affairs.

Is thier success due partially to thier size? As governments get bigger you find that politicians are increasingly more likely to dodge responsibility and stick it to the other guy. In America the worst pork spending is usually by Senators who justify it as pumping money back into the state. They are even praised by thier electorate. It has horrible delerious effects on the rest of the country, but they are all somewhere else. This critique could be extended beyond politics to culture and business as well.

I think this is part of the reason France and Germany have harder times. Also, I think it is part of the reason that the expansion of federal power in the US has been so unsuccessful.

Does size matter?