What Small Countries Can Teach the World

In the past, various great powers have taken the stage as models of economic and social development. Examples such as Great Britain, the Soviet Union, Japan, and the United States have had their time in the spotlight that has come and gone as flaws were exposed; and other countries have learned what they did well and what they did poorly. The great powers are not the only models, however. Much can be learned from small countries which are often free to experiment with new institutions and new policies. This paper describes lessons that can be learned from such countries though no one size fits all.