5 Things To Know About The Commonwealth
With the death of Queen Elizabeth II, more questions have been raised as to the validity of the Commonwealth and its place in today’s world. Although not hereditary, King Charles III has taken on the role as the new Head of State in the United Kingdom since the Queen’s passing, a symbolic position filled with pomp and imperialist flamboyance rather than one that yields any power or even influence. Here are a five things to know about the Commonwealth.
What is the Commonwealth?
Founded in 1931, the Commonwealth according to its website is ‘a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal countries’ and home to 2.5 billion people. That’s one third of the global population. The Commonwealth was established as the British Empire began to dismantle and some would argue its creation was a means to hold on to global influence.
One of the celebrated aspects of its establishment is the Commonwealth games, launched in 1930 to bring a sense of unity amongst the Commonwealth nations. The countries are bound together by the Commonwealth Charter, with the Heads of each country meeting every two years at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. It’s hosted by different countries each time, in 2022 it was held in Rwanda, where climate change was a big focus. There have been 25 meetings since 1971.
2. Who is in the Commonwealth?
Surprisingly, it is not made up solely of former British colonies, although they do make up the vast majority of countries. 19 African countries and 13 from the Caribbean and Americas make up part of this association, check out the full list below:
Botswana, Cameroon, eSwatini, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia
Botswana, Cameroon, eSwatini, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia
Africa
Canada
Canada
Americas
Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, India, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka,
Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, India, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka,
Asia
Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and The Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago,
Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and The Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago,
Caribbean
Cyprus, United Kingdom, Malta,
Cyprus, United Kingdom, Malta,
Europe
Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu ,
Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu ,
Pacific
3. Dominion Countries & Rule of Law
In 1926, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, Australia and South Africa were given dominion status, which meant they could pass their own laws without guidance from the Commonwealth. This has since been applied to all countries.
Countries within the Commonwealth share a common law system that is rooted in democracy, peace and human rights. The Commonwealth will support the countries with law governance by providing best practises for law creation. There are instances where the United Kingdom will step in and support in disputes. Such as in 2021, when the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council took on appeals to end Trinidad and Tobago’s mandatory death penalty for murder. The death penalty was abolished in Britain in 1969 but this did not extend to the Commonwealth.
4. The Mau Mau rebellion and Biafra war
The Mau Mau rebellion in Kenya (1952 -1960) and the Biafra war (1967-1970) are two of many blood stained legacies in the Commonwealth’s history.
The Mau Mau rebellion saw the death and castration of young Kenyans in the tens of thousands fighting for independence. Official records claim 11,000 Kenyans were killed, unofficially it’s as high as 90,000 and 32 white settlers in the eight year long rebellion. In 2013, the United Kingdom government committed to pay £19.9m in compensation to 5,000 Mau Mau survivors.
The Biafra war was a civil war between Nigeria and the Republic of Biafra following its declaration for independence. The Biafran nationalists' views were in stark contrast to the federal government at the time and believed it to be in the best interest of their people to separate.
A strategic plan to isolate the Biafrans using blockades led to over 2 million people starving to death. It is widely claimed that the British funded and provided arms to the Nigerian military to win the war.
5. Money, money, money
The United Kingdom's sovereignty appears on the currency of 15 countries which include Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Bermuda.
On the subject of money, how much does it cost to have a monarch as Head of State? That’s kind of hard to determine exactly, but locals do have to pay taxes which goes towards the wage and expenses (travel, security, residence, ceremony etc) of the monarch’s representatives such as the Governor General.
