Which states and territories have the wealthiest people?
Primary tabs
“Ever since I've been in this chamber, I've been told that the flow of history is towards federalization and the big blocks like the European Union, but I've got to say there is no evidence for it. In 1946 there were 76 independent countries, today there are 195. The tide is flowing the other way.” Daniel Hannan, European Parliament, July 3, 2017. Source: DanHannan YouTube channel.
Transcript:
Thank you Mr. Deputy Speaker.
Where are the richest countries in the world? Or rather, which states and territories have the wealthiest people? One thing that you notice is that they are all small. It's the Switzerland, the Singapore, the Monaco, the Channel Islands, the UAE, the Brunei... Of the countries with the highest GDP per head, the top ten, there's only one large state, and that's the United States of America. Why? Because it's pulled off a trick of administering itself like a confederation of tiny statelets. As Aristotle observed, to the size of a state there is a limit. Just as to implements to animals and plants for they cannot retain their natural facility when they are too-large. Ever since I've been in this chamber, I've been told that the flow of history is towards federalization and the big blocks like the European Union, but I've got to say there is no evidence for it. In 1946 there were 76 independent countries, today there are 195. The tide is flowing the other way.