ABSTRACT
Charles Taylor considers the use of a single variable like population to be too narrow and subjective an approach. He uses techniques such as hierarchical clustering and analysis of variance together with criteria involving energy consumption, legal status, political self-perception, distance, population, gross national product (GNP), and land area to determine what constitutes a small state. Using cluster analysis, he constructed a statistical typology of micro and small states, combining population, GNP, and land area criteria. Jean-Luc Vellut's categorization of the international system is somewhat different. He divides the states into four classes: great powers, medium powers, small powers, and smaller powers-the latter being subdivided into Class I and Class II smaller states. The two major indicators used by Vellut to determine the size of states are population and gross domestic product (GDP). He ranks all states first according to the size of their population and then according to their GDP.
