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| Commonwealth of Nations | |
|---|---|
 Flag
 Coat of arms
| |
 Dark Blue: Current member state Green: Suspended member state Orange: Former member states Light Blue: British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies | |
| Headquarters | Marlborough House, London, United Kingdom |
| Leaders | |
• Head | Charles III |
• Secretary-General | Patricia Scotland |
• Chair-in-Office | Paul Kagame |
| History | |
• Balfour Declaration | 19 November 1926 |
• Statute of Westminster | 11 December 1931 |
• London Declaration | 28 April 1949 |
| Area | |
• Total | 29,958,050 km² |
The Commonwealth, officially the Commonwealth of Nations, is an imperialist intergovernmental organisation made up mostly of former British colonies. The organisation is used by the British to tie itself to its former colonies, and maintain the liberal world order, with 15 out of the 56 members still using the British monarch as head of state.[1]
History[edit | edit source]
Foundation[edit | edit source]
In the 19th century Britain started reforming its most important colonies into dominions, allowing them to be semi-autonomous. From 1887 leaders of these dominions attended conferences with Britain with the 1926 Imperial Conference being attended by the leaders of Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, Newfoundland, New Zealand, and South Africa. At the 1926 conference the Balfour Declaration was made which declared that supposedly all members were "equal members of the community of the British Empire", thus beginning the reformation of the Empire into the Commonwealth.[2]
Modern Commonwealth[edit | edit source]
In 1949 following the independence of India in 1947, a meeting was held in London where the London Declaration was made. Following independence India wanted to remove the monarch as head of state but remain in the commonwealth, this declaration allowed republics to remain in the commonwealth, and under British Imperialist control. Following this, as former British colonies declared their independence they joined the Commonwealth.[2]
In 1961 South Africa left the Commonwealth due to its Apartheid laws, it would re-join again in 1994 following the official end of apartheid.[2]
In 1972 Pakistan withdrew from the Commonwealth in protest at the Commonwealth's recognition, and acceptance of Bangladesh into the organisation. It would re-join in 1989.[2]
In 1987 Fiji left following a coup, re-joining in 1997 before being suspended yet again in 2000 following another coup.[2]
In 1995 Nigeria was suspended following the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa. It would be reinstated in 1999.[2]
In 1999 Pakistan was suspended following a military coup.[2]
In 2001 Fiji was reinstated following bourgeois elections before being suspended again in 2009 following another coup.[2]
Suspension of Zimbabwe[edit | edit source]
In 2002 Zimbabwe was suspended from the Commonwealth and in 2003 withdrew,[2] following its land reform act. This act redistributed land to subsistence farmers from the estates of wealthy white corporate farmers who had expropriated the land. Naturally this was treated as a threat by British Capitalism, and it expelled Zimbabwe from the organisation, ordering all members to cut ties with Zimbabwe. Following the expulsion the UK enforced harsh sanctions, backed by the US, which caused hyperinflation and economic chaos. British capitalism used Zimbabwe as an example for the rest of the Commonwealth of what would happen if they dared to defy the wishes of the Liberal World order.[1]
21st Century[edit | edit source]
In 2004 Pakistan was reinstated before being suspended again in 2007 following a declared state of emergency and suspension of the constitution. It was reinstated once more in 2008.[2]
In 2013 Gambia left followed by Maldives in 2016 but the former would re-join in 2018 and the latter in 2020.[2]
In 2014 Fiji was reinstated.[2]
Member States[edit | edit source]
| Country | First Joined | Continent |
|---|---|---|
 Antigua and Barbuda
|
1 November 1981 | Americas |
 Australia
|
19 November 1926 | Oceania |
 Bahamas
|
10 July 1973 | Americas |
 Bangladesh
|
18 April 1972 | Asia |
 Barbados
|
30 November 1966 | Americas |
 Belize
|
21 September 1981 | Americas |
 Botswana
|
30 September 1966 | Africa |
 Brunei
|
7 May 1984 | Asia |
 Cameroon
|
1 November 1995 | Africa |
 Canada
|
19 November 1926 | Americas |
 Cyprus
|
13 March 1961 | Asia |
 Dominica
|
3 November 1978 | Americas |
 Eswatini
|
6 September 1968 | Africa |
 Fiji
|
10 October 1970 | Oceania |
 Gabon
|
25 June 2022 | Africa |
 Gambia
|
18 February 1965 | Africa |
 Ghana
|
6 March 1957 | Africa |
 Grenada
|
7 February 1974 | Americas |
 Guyana
|
26 May 1966 | Americas |
 India
|
15 August 1947 | Asia |
 Jamaica
|
6 August 1962 | Americas |
 Kenya
|
12 December 1963 | Africa |
 Kiribati
|
12 July 1979 | Oceania |
 Lesotho
|
4 October 1966 | Africa |
 Malawi
|
6 July 1964 | Africa |
 Malaysia
|
31 August 1957 | Asia |
 Maldives
|
9 July 1982 | Asia |
 Malta
|
21 September 1964 | Europe |
 Mauritius
|
12 March 1968 | Africa |
 Mozambique
|
13 November 1995 | Africa |
 Namibia
|
21 March 1990 | Africa |
 Nauru
|
29 November 1968 | Oceania |
 New Zealand
|
19 November 1926 | Oceania |
 Nigeria
|
1 October 1960 | Africa |
 Pakistan
|
14 August 1947 | Asia |
 Papua New Guinea
|
16 September 1975 | Oceania |
 Rwanda
|
29 November 2009 | Africa |
 Saint Kitts and Nevis
|
19 September 1983 | Americas |
 Saint Lucia
|
22 February 1979 | Americas |
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
|
27 October 1979 | Americas |
 Samoa
|
28 August 1970 | Oceania |
 Seychelles
|
28 June 1976 | Africa |
 Sierra Leone
|
27 April 1961 | Africa |
 Singapore
|
15 October 1965 | Asia |
 Solomon Islands
|
7 July 1978 | Oceania |
 South Africa
|
19 November 1926 | Africa |
 Sri Lanka
|
4 February 1948 | Asia |
 Tanzania
|
9 December 1961 | Africa |
 Togo
|
25 June 2022 | Africa |
 Tonga
|
4 June 1970 | Oceania |
 Trinidad and Tobago
|
31 August 1962 | Americas |
 Tuvalu
|
1 October 1978 | Oceania |
 Uganda
|
9 October 1962 | Africa |
 United Kingdom
|
19 November 1926 | Europe |
 Vanuatu
|
30 July 1980 | Oceania |
 Zambia
|
24 October 1964 | Africa |