As nations shrink, city-states may multiply.

• Position: Governance - Brief Article

Nation-states will probably yield more of their authority to local governments in the decades to come, according to Maurice Strong, a longtime United Nations official and consultant. "We may see a reemergence of a modern version of the classical city-state of medieval and Renaissance Europe," he told the World Future Society, Bethesda, Md.

The small-is-beautiful trend is already well under way. Microstates such as Monaco, Liechtenstein, and Andorra have attained full recognition among the UN's 188 members. Their example could inspire other regions or ethnic groups to assert their autonomy and gain greater status. For instance, "If it were a separate country, Quebec would be the 32nd-largest nation in terms of its economy," Strong noted.

The idea of reducing big government has become popular in recent years. Many people believe that government should be...