Small states as poster children of robust governance?

Abstract

By combining the literatures of small states and of robust governance, we argue that small states have inherent features contributing to their robustness in response to increasing turbulence. While turbulence is the ‘new normal’ for large states, it is a long-experienced ‘normal’ for small states. Small states’ experience shows that responding to turbulence is supported by pragmatic prioritisation of tasks, autonomy and networks of public leaders, vigilance, collaborative administrative culture, bricolage, multi-functionality, and liquid professionalism, as well as high social capital and societal trust. The interlinked elements of robust governance foster and support each other, allowing small states not only to cope with the challenges of limited scale and reduce the vulnerability of their political, economic, and social spheres, but also effectively respond to unpredictable, uncertain and dynamic futures.