Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 4.djvu/384

 STUDIES IN POLITICAL AREAS. III.

THE SMALL POLITICAL AREA.

The smaller the area, the more rapid is the progress of its history. A limited territory is more easily mastered ; it devel- ops industrially and politically at an earlier period. The high degree of exploitation practiced in it produces for a time more of the various elements of power — men and wealth — than a large area does. Individuals, classes, parties, races, are brought nearer together ; the adjustment of differences is often hastened by force, and the development of the whole thereby promoted. The history of the small area is, therefore, that of a country in the lead, with a capacity to impart a powerful stimulus to others. Thus it happens that limited regions have, for short periods, been more influential historically than large ones. This is the meaning of Johann von Miiller's saying: "Most great things have been accomplished by small nations or by men of little strength and great mind." The districts limited by nature assume the leadership for a large region ; this function then gradually passes over to states of larger extent, with slower but more lasting progress, in proportion as their greater resources are developed. Thus we see the general advance of mankind from smaller to larger areas repeating itself, and consequently the types peculiar to restriction and expansion regularly fol- lowing one another. After Greece came Italy ; after Denmark, the German coast, with the Hanse towns and the Prussian colo- nies of the Teutonic knights ; after Portugal, Spain ; after the Netherlands, England ; after Brandenburg, Prussia ; after the West Indies, North America ; after New England, the United States; after Bengal, India; and after Cape Colony, English South Africa, reaching to the Zambezi. We speak of the great political influence which it has fallen to the lot of small states to wield, and we overlook the fact that this has often become prominent just in the transition from the narrow area of prepa-

366