Fav small nation in history that had a chance for greatness but didnt

[thezerech]

Regarding Central America? I have nothing specific to offer unfortunately. Most of my knowledge is from Academic journals that I've searched on places like JSTOR. I'm actually looking for history books on Central American history.

Cuba could easily be much better if the post revolutionary period began reforms in the 80s or 90s to lessen the burden of the Special Period, but Cuba was kinda doomed to being middle income since the 20s since its economy was nothing but sugar and tourism, both of which are subject to boom-bust cycles. There wasn't much industry or other major extractive industries like in the Dominican Republic, and that needs to be fixed in tandem with political issues.

As for Dominican history? Where do begin, the country is nothing but missed opportunities.

The best case scenario I think is if the Trinitarios weren't coup'd in 1844, leading to the establishment of a liberal democracy right off the bat. This means preventing decades of political instability, avoiding the re-annexation of Spain (and the destructive restoration war), the precedent for tyrannic governments, decentralization, and most of the money put into the country instead of being robbed by cronies/and or spent on the military. All of the above would lead to population growth, vast immigration who bring in much needed capital and technologies and steady, continual economic growth. By 1900, we could have a place that has a population of say, 3 million instead of 800,000 and a diverse economy firmly seated in the Upper income countries of Latin America. The country would also have superior infrastructure and living standards compared to most of its neighbors in the region. By the modern day, you get something that's at worst Eastern Europe living standards and at best First World.

For the Philippines I was mostly thinking avoiding Marcos (or obtaining independence as early as possible in the 1800s and therefore the ability to obtain more foreign investment easily) and going the same East Asian export economy routes that Taiwan, Korea, Japan and Singapore went on. Not well versed enough to offer any specifics.

As for Venezuela, literally just have it diversify its economy. That's it. Venezuela was constantly crippled by its boom and bust cycles.

Frankly you're asking alot for the DR. Though it would certainly have been interesting, and obviously better.

Olvidaste Trujillo, sin él estaríamos mucho mejor. El intervencion y Balaguer tambien se deberían desaparecer.

Obviously with all that you mentioned Trujillo isn't likely but it is still worth mentioning at least due to personal reasons for me.

 

[kasumigenx]

What about the British getting the Philippines from the Spanish in the Spanish American war instead..causing a British-Spanish alliance in that case both Sarawak and Sabah gets integrated to the Philippines.

 

[Deleted member 67076]

Frankly you're asking alot for the DR. Though it would certainly have been interesting, and obviously better.

Olvidaste Trujillo, sin él estaríamos mucho mejor. El intervencion y Balaguer tambien se deberían desaparecer.

Obviously with all that you mentioned Trujillo isn't likely but it is still worth mentioning at least due to personal reasons for me.

I don't necessarily think so, given the blueprint for rapid development has already been (inadvertently) established with the Bourbon Courts back in the early 1700s when they agreed to send settlement in El Cibao forming the basis for a diversified economy (by Latin American standards) with plenty of contacts in European markets, followed by the relatively gradual yet peaceful expansion of the economy and population until the Haitian Revolution broke out. In 1844, the pillars of the export economy- tobacco, ranching, mahogany, brasilwood, and various tiny cottage industries were there. Developed, and a regional powerhouse can be in the making that isn't totally dependent on the world price of sugar.

What the country needed most for development was roads and rails to link the country's disjointed markets, make putting down revolts easy, curb regionalism, and further promote the small but influential mercantile middle classes. Given usually around 45-70% of the national budget was continually spent on the military, removing that main obstacle (instability) would drastically free up funds to do the real heavy lifting. OTL we see this rapid economic and population growth after 1879, when Luperon finally crushes all the regional caudillos and begins to link the country together. Lilis and Trujillo merely continue that trend, although the former messed it up with all the foreign debt and the latter by his economic policy hitting diminishing returns after ~1950 (ignoring the political regime of course).

Although now that you mentioned it, avoiding Balaguer would certainly have the country move in a more South Korea style development (American advisors wanted to test out their East Asian strategies of development the DR; he said no and continued on with inefficient ISI policies) which would have both been better for the nation and very interesting on a geopolitical scale.

 

[BuNejm]

Siam have their chance of gaining their lost lands(Lao,Western Cambodia) but they are content with small pibunsongkram province(modern western cambodia,near chantaburi)
In ww2 they could have got shan and tavoy(possibly malaya but is would be japaneese anyway because rubbers) but japan decided to overstrecth their fronts by war with america and doomed axis as whole
Atleast we have serithai(allies agents) so we dont get destroyed by france in peace treaties.

 

[Bee]

Perhaps Navarre? It seemed to spend most of its existence playing off other Iberian territories and France against each other before finally being overwhelmed by Castile but it actually wound up putting its own offshoot on the French throne which, in just a few generations, managed to have direct descendants ruling Spain! Could it have somehow been more aggressive and somehow openly conquered both nations openly via playing them off each other then reaping the spoils?

On the cusp of greatness when Sancho III seized Castile. Sancho's dominions were divided between his sons after he died in 1035, and it was Castile, rather than Navarre itself, which was eventually destined for major power status.

 

[MichiganNationalist1837]

Paraguay

 

[Fehérvári]

Small nation? I've always been partial to The Most Serene Republic of Venice as a small nation that could have done well for itself.

If they had focused less on fighting Ruinous wars with the Ottomans and more on Italy, it's entirely possible that they could have been a major player.

The League of Cambrai disagrees.

 

[kasumigenx]

Bhutan, have them rule Tibet, they were a faction of Tibet technically.

 

[Decius00009]

Ireland, had Agricola had his way during the Claudian invasion of 70 AD. You have the problem of a unified nation state (in the relatively modern sense of the term), coupled with an extremely warlike people (historically, the Irish made damned good soldiers). Coupled with a disunited Britain in the low middle ages, you have recipe for near universal conquest of the British Isles. After that, one is is speaking of a march on Paris

 

[joho6411]

I like all of the 149 posts before me on this topic.

My two choices are (since many of my previous choices have already been covered)

1) A much larger Papal States with small colonies & trading posts in the Americas as well as in Africa. Time frame from roughly from 1550-1835ish?

2) A Sardinian maritime empire similar to OTL Dutch, Portuguese, and or Omani empires. This empire would be strong in commerce and finance, light in actual colonization due to low population. Time frame for my Sardinian Empire...650-850 AD; or say 1000 AD to 1350; and/or maybe even a late 16th Century to late 18th century edition as well.

Joho

 

[Superninja76]

The greco-bactrian empire. Granted, they did tear through india like a hot knife through butter, but they weren't around long enough for any of their conquests or just mind-exploding awesomeness to matter.

 

[Romanos_the_Fourth]

Either Syagrius's Kingdom of Soissons or the Despotate of Epirus.

 

[History Learner]

Domain of Soissons. Had Childeric I died in exile, Aegidius probably could've cemented his control over the Franks and, with the combined resources of both entities, probably could've taken a good portion of Visigothic Gaul from them after the war with them. This would've meant a WRE remnant state that ends up "Germanizing" in the same way the Eastern Empire later underwent Hellenization, which is a fascinating thought to me.

 

[Isaac Beach]

Vermont, not that they could have achieved much lest the US failed to unify or quickly collapsed, or somehow took advantage of the bickering between the States and Canada.

 

[clem attlee]

That's not exactly a small nation...

And it had massive centrifugal tendencies on the part of the magnates.

 

[clem attlee]

Ireland, had Agricola had his way during the Claudian invasion of 70 AD. You have the problem of a unified nation state (in the relatively modern sense of the term), coupled with an extremely warlike people (historically, the Irish made damned good soldiers). Coupled with a disunited Britain in the low middle ages, you have recipe for near universal conquest of the British Isles. After that, one is is speaking of a march on Paris

Agricola asserted that he could conquer it with one legion. Sheer delusion. Tacitus is rightly called the most unmilitary of historians.

 

[Byzantion]

Any nations, where if you did a snapshot of it at a certain point in history an outside observer would say "oh yeah, due for greatness" and yet it fails to achieve up to its expectations.

I'm thinking Pergamon is a good example. Maybe Burgundy several times could have been seen as the next big thing. Perennial ah.com favorite the Kalmar Union of course.

Ugarit, the economic power City State in Syria and trading partner of Egypt. How many people recall Ugarit today ?

 

[Bastiram]

How many people recall Ugarit today ?

Never heard about it !

 

[Indicus]

The Sikh Empire wasn't small, but they were awesome. They achieved an impressive amount of modernization and wealth. Ranjit Singh planned to take the mouth of the Indus, but sadly he got involved in the Afghanistan quagmire. They also achieved an impressive education rate. Sadly, they fell apart after some large amounts of instability after Ranjit Singh's death.

 

[cmakk1012]

Medieval Armenia. They really, really drew the short straw OTL, being invaded by pretty much every nation that bordered them for over a thousand years. I imagine wanking them would be nearly impossible, but it doesn't hurt to dream! Just imagine a state uniting eastern Anatolia into the Armenian Highlands under the banner of Miaphysitism!