This is an interesting idea. A while ago I read a book called The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner. In it the author travels to the countries that are purported to be the happiest on earth according to the World Happiness Index. Many of them, I noted, are smaller countries like Thailand, Switzerland, England and Costa Rica. It makes me wonder if smaller countries are better suited to being happy countries. Maybe because it's easier to foster a sense of unity and to manage the issues that arise in a country that is a more managable size? The US is, I think, one of the only large countries that rank anywhere high on WHI, and it is divided into states, which maybe helps with the issue of size. Of course, there are many small countries that do not rank high on the WHI, so I don't think size alone creates happiness. It may help though. There's a reason why Democracy took root in Greece, with its city-states seperated by mountains, and why Native Americans (Indigenous People) were able to create more democratic forms of government, with small groups spread out over a large landmass. I think that if you want to have a government that is more centered on the individual, where everyone gets enough, having a smaller group helps you meet those goals.
