EU, which began with three big and three small countries, now has six big and 19 small.

ECONOMIST: Turkey and the EU

In all three countries, economic stability made a big difference for the better.

ECONOMIST: Lessons from Brazil, China and India

Because interest rate differentials are a big factor in currency moves, the DBV shorts the three currencies of G10 countries with the lowest rates and goes long the three with the highest rates.

FORBES: Trade Currencies Like Soros

Ironically, to counteract this, the Big Three automakers have increasingly moved production from the U.S. to lower-labor-cost countries like Mexico.

CNN: Commentary: Can the Big Three survive a bailout?

After the Plaza accord between the big industrial countries in 1985, the Japanese yen rose by 80% against the dollar in three years.

ECONOMIST: China's economy

As they point out, three of the largest countries, plus one other, can block any decision, whereas it takes a big coalition of small countries to achieve such a result.

BBC: NEWS | Europe | Poles in war of words over voting