I don't think it's even possible to have a small government presiding over a large thing. That thing might be a region, an economy, or really anything -- as so

I don't think it's even possible to have a small government presiding over a large thing. That thing might be a region, an economy, or really anything -- as soon as the thing gets too many resources, the government either grows or is replaced. If you try to keep government small, you don't end up removing power and corruption. You just move them to other entities. Those other entities may not use the word government, but the word is obviously not the problem. It's easy enough to justify this by looking at the opposite end of the spectrum: are there any examples of small government that have succeeded other than by presiding over only very few resources? I'm having even more trouble thinking of any than thinking of examples of successful large government.