Buffman

Is it the geographical size of a state, the number of citizens it represents, the economic-military power that it holds, or the political influence it has that matters the most? Should America have 50 votes because it has 50 states? The USSR was composed of many Republics. How many of them had votes in the UN before the 1991 breakup?

<a href="http://www.ejil.org/journal/Vol3/No2/art8.html" target="_blank">http://www.ejil.org/journal/Vol3/No2/art8.html</a>

What was one of the greatest fears about establishing a centralized federal government in the U.S.? (Large powerful states would dominate the smaller weaker ones. Why are state's rights still an issue in 2002?)

So exactly what does the Vatican represent?

(Just some grist for the mill.)

Grumpy

I was focusing too much on land area, which is only one factor in a nation's importance. And probably one of the least significant factors. But it's interesting, to me anyway, to remember that there are different types, if not classes, of countries -- the superpowers, the ex-superpowers, down the line until you have your sovereign guano heaps.

Oh, and Norway today coined the phrase <a href="http://www.whnt19.com/Global/story.asp?S=1043557" target="_blank">"B-Nations"</a>.