In a world comprised of nations, size can determine destiny. But greater size may also come at a price. Larger nations can spend more on militaries. The United States can afford aircraft carriers; Costa Rica cannot. Larger nations can exploit economies of scale, spreading the costs of high¬ways, schools, and police across a greater number of taxpayers. Larger nations can offer companies deeper markets to sell goods and services, unfettered by trade barriers. In a nation of one individual, the priorities of the government can be perfectly aligned with those of its citizen. Add another person, and disagreements may arise. The more people, the more potential for conflict. Size often determines if a nation succeeds—or fails. Since WWII, most of the nations that were once too big have partitioned and the world saw an explosion in the number of countries from 74 in 1945 to 196 in 2022. But a number of nations are still too big and unable (or unwilling) to partition or decentralize. Unfortunately, for those nations, the remaining choices are to either continue to suffer from internal strife and political turmoil or transition to a more authoritarian regime. Some countries, such as China and Russia, have chosen the latter. Others, like the United States, are today struggling with the rise of autocratic populists who promise to bind the nation together by force. We have decisions to make.