Commonwealth countries. When did the British Commonwealth of Nations come into being? Some Commonwealth countries were never part of the British Empire

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The Commonwealth of Nations is an association of independent states that includes Great Britain and many of its former dominions, colonies and protectorates. Countries included in this union do not have political power on top of each other. It began in 1887, the Balfour Declaration was adopted in 1926, and the status of the Commonwealth was established on December 11, 1931 (by the Statute of Westminster). After which the Commonwealth resembled a kind of union of countries united with Great Britain by a personal union.

Where it all began

The foundation was laid back in the 19th century, and in the early thirties of the 20th century, a statute was adopted defining the rights of a member state of the organization. According to the 1931 document, the British monarch is the head of each country that has recognized the Statute of Westminster and is part of the British Commonwealth of Nations.

At the same time the document installed legal status dominions, and also put into effect the decisions of the 1926 and 1930 conferences. As a result, the dominions were recognized as virtually independent states, completely equal to Britain; the laws of England also could not apply to them without their consent.

In 1947, the situation changed: with the transformation of India into a republican country and the resulting refusal to recognize the British monarch as head of state, the foundations of unification had to be radically revised. The name, as well as the goals of the organization, changed - humanitarian missions, educational projects, etc. became priorities.

On this moment countries belonging to the Commonwealth of Nations (53 in number) demonstrate different approach to government management. Of these, only 16 are Commonwealth Kingdoms that recognize Elizabeth II as head of state.

States included in the association

The path to the current situation in the 21st century was long. States joined and left the union, suspended membership and resumed it (the example of Fiji, whose membership was suspended by the union due to problems with democracy in the country, is especially instructive here).

However, the process is still ongoing, shaping and changing the modern Commonwealth of Nations. The list of countries is given according to the information on the official website:

• Antigua and Barbuda;
• Bangladesh;
• Botswana;
• Canada;
• Fiji (reinstated as a full member on 26 September 2014);
• Guyana;
• Kenya;
• Malawi;
• Malta;
• Namibia;
• Nigeria;
• Rwanda;
• Seychelles;
• Solomon islands;
• Saint Kitts and Nevis;
• Tonga;
• Uganda;
• Vanuatu;
• Australia;
• Barbados;
• Brunei;
• Cyprus;
• Ghana;
• India;
• Kiribati;
• Malaysia;
• Mauritius;
• Nauru;
• Pakistan;
• Saint Lucia;
• Sierra Leone;
• South Africa;
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines;
• Trinidad and Tobago;
• Great Britain;
• Zambia;
• Bahamas;
• Belize;
• Cameroon;
• Dominica;
• Grenada;
• Jamaica;
• Lesotho;
• Maldives;
• Mozambique;
• New Zealand;
• Papua New Guinea;
• Samoa;
• Singapore;
• Sri Lanka;
• Swaziland;
• Tuvalu;
• Tanzania.

The countries included in the Commonwealth of Nations are united not only by treaties and acts, but also culturally and linguistically: in 11 countries English is one of the official languages, and in the other 11 - the only official language.

Commonwealth Government

As stated on the official website, this is a voluntary association of countries with common values. Queen Elizabeth II formally heads the British Commonwealth of Nations (the list of member countries of this organization is one of the largest in the world), while current administrative leadership is carried out by the Secretariat.

According to the form of government within the union, the distribution is as follows: 32 states are republics, 5 are national monarchies, and 16 recognize the head of the British Queen, represented in each country by a governor-general. However, she does not perform any formal functions or responsibilities.

Business

The list of countries that makes up the Commonwealth of Nations is impressive - the states are divided into four various categories, according to the World Bank classification (the rating is updated annually and reflects gross national income per capita for the previous year). Of these, 11 are with high income, 14 are with above-average income, 18 are below average, and 10 are with low level GNI.

Union countries are leaders in many industries around the world: mining is one example precious stones and metals, information Technology, tourism.

Formation of the Commonwealth

The first countries to join the association were Great Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa. They joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1931. Pakistan and India joined the union in 1947. Sri Lanka - in 1948. Together they form a list of states - the oldest members of the association.

Ghana joined them in 1957.

In the sixties, the British Commonwealth of Nations received new additions: Nigeria (1960), Sierra Leone and Tanzania (1961), Uganda (1962), Kenya (1963), Zambia (1964) joined the union. ). Next - Guyana, Botswana and Lesotho (1966), Swaziland (1968)

Bangladesh joined the union in 1972, Papua New Guinea in 1975.

And finally, the list of countries is completed by Namibia (1990), Mozambique and Cameroon (1995), Rwanda (2009)

Population

In terms of population, the Commonwealth of Nations has 2.2 billion people. India is expected to lead with 1236.7 million. Far behind it are Pakistan, Nigeria and Bangladesh, which are approximately at the same level - 179.2 million, 168.8 million and 154.7 million, respectively. In fourth place, oddly enough, is Great Britain (all numbers and data are taken from the official website of the Commonwealth) - its population, according to the latest data, is 62.8 million people.

The vast country is inhabited by only 34.8 million people, while the mainland of Australia belongs to 23.1 million people.

Healthcare and life expectancy

But in the area of ​​health and well-being, everything is quite expected - the highest average is in Australia and Singapore (82 years), Canada and New Zealand (81 years), in the UK, Cyprus and Malta (80 years). Sierra Leone is in last place - only 45 years old (according to 2012 data).

The same country leads in the mortality rate of children and newborns, as well as mothers (according to data for 2010-2012). Moreover, Sierra Leone is a state with one of the most high levels fertility in the Commonwealth.

Mozambique and Rwanda

Over the decades, various acts have been adopted and other documents drawn up regulating the actions of the association, what is possible and what is not. There is no single document, like a constitution. The basis for entry is the connection with Great Britain - the road to membership in the Commonwealth is open to former colonies, protectorates and dominions. There were two exceptions to this rule, however: Mozambique, a former colony of Portugal, and Rwanda, a former colony of Belgium and Germany.

The first one is one of poorest countries peace. Mozambique is a state that is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations “not by right, but by grace.” He was included after all the neighboring members of the association expressed a request for Mozambique to join (this is one of the theories).

The background is that after independence in 1975, major reforms were introduced and most of the Portuguese settlers were expelled. Started Civil War, accompanied by serious casualties among the population and migration large quantity refugees.

The war ended only in 1992 - it is not surprising that the country was in decline. Membership in the Commonwealth as a whole is beneficial for the state - this statement is also true for Rwanda, which also managed to experience Hard times(including genocide).

Role and goals in relation to its members

Today, the countries belonging to the British Commonwealth of Nations operate in two directions - disseminating the principles and norms of democracy and promoting development. It is the second largest, after the UN, international union. English plays a very important unifying role, especially since now this language has become one of the ways of business communication.

Great Britain and others carry out various humanitarian missions within the union and provide support in economic and other areas. Although all member countries of the Commonwealth are technically independent, such assistance helps to influence those who provide it on those who need it.

Britain's role within the union

Throughout history, from the formation of the union onwards, the role and attitude of Great Britain towards this union has changed. In the first half of the 20th century, it was mentioned only as Over time, the priorities of politicians shifted towards the European Union, which looked very promising. However, in light of recent trends in the EU, the idea of ​​strengthening and developing ties may look increasingly attractive, given how extensive the list of states that forms the Commonwealth of Nations is.

The behavior of Great Britain towards Australia can also be interpreted in support of this course. In this country, supporters of the republican form of government have a very strong position, and talk of leaving the Commonwealth is heard regularly.

Visits to Australia by members of the British royal family, as well as the 2011 wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, played a role in increasing prestige. According to statements made by British diplomats in 2011, these visits negated the possibility of Australia becoming a republic in the near future.

A visit from Queen Elizabeth II and the royal wedding have piqued Australian interest, but officials also said Australian society will eventually seek to move away from the queen's authority, even if that power is only symbolic.

A statement from the British Foreign Office indicated that demographic changes in the country are leading to a reduction in the number of citizens who in one way or another feel connected to England. At the same time, a large percentage of the population believes that the creation of a republic is an integral stage in the formation of a state.

Some other countries belonging to the Commonwealth of Nations, however, support the idea of ​​closer cooperation. Similar proposals have already been made, but did not receive majority support due to fears of Great Britain's imperial ambitions.

The probability of integration is still low - too different levels development does not promote complementarity of products; rather, countries at a lower level compete because they produce the same or similar products. Nevertheless, they benefit from support from more developed ones. A serious disadvantage of the Commonwealth, however, is considered to be that it does not have strong mechanisms of influence on its members - the only option is to suspend membership in the organization.

The Commonwealth of Nations is a voluntary interstate association headed by. In addition to Great Britain itself, it includes almost all of its former colonies, protectorates, dominions, as well as Cameroon, Mozambique, Namibia and Rwanda. Today there are 53 member countries of the Commonwealth of Nations in the world. The head of the Commonwealth is the monarch of Great Britain.

The basis of the Commonwealth is the recognition of the equal status of each of the states, independent of one another in any aspect of its internal or foreign policy, despite the fact that these states are brought together by a common loyalty to the Crown and free membership in the British Commonwealth of Nations.

The British Dependencies are 14 countries under the sovereignty of Great Britain, but not part of the monarchy. Unlike the voluntary Commonwealth of Nations, these states and their territories are under the control of Great Britain. Before the official term “Great Dependent Territories” was introduced in 2002, these countries were called “colonies”.

If you are, for example, you will be asked, “Have you visited the UK, Commonwealth countries or British Dependencies in the last 10 years?” If you have visited one of the countries listed below, you should note this on your UK visa application.

Commonwealth countries

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UK dependent territories

• Anguilla
• Bermuda
• British Antarctic Territory
• British Indian Ocean Territory
• British Virgin Islands
• Cayman Islands
• Falkland Islands

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At the 1926 Conference of Prime Ministers of Great Britain and the British Dominions, the Balfour Declaration was adopted, in which Great Britain and the Dominions recognized that these states had "equal status and are not dependent on each other in any aspect of their domestic or foreign policy, despite the fact that they are brought together by a common loyalty to the Crown and free membership in the British Commonwealth of Nations."

The legal status of the Commonwealth was established on December 11, 1931, and until 1947 it represented a kind of union of states, each of which was united with Great Britain by a personal union (that is, the British monarch was recognized as the head of the dominions).

Development

Membership in the Commonwealth is open to all countries that recognize the main goals of its activities. There must also be past or present constitutional links between the candidate for accession and the UK or another Commonwealth member. Not all members of the organization have direct constitutional ties to Great Britain - some of the South Pacific states were governed by Australia or New Zealand, and Namibia was governed by South Africa. In 1995, Cameroon became a member of the Commonwealth. Only part of its territory was under British control under the mandate of the League of Nations (-) and under the trusteeship agreement with the UN (1946-1961).

There is only one member of the Commonwealth for whom this rule has been violated. Mozambique, a former colony of Portugal, was admitted to the Commonwealth following the triumphant restoration of South Africa's membership and the holding of Mozambique's first democratic elections. Mozambique was asked for by its neighbors, all of whom were members of the Commonwealth and wanted to help Mozambique overcome the damage caused to the country's economy due to its confrontation with the white minority regimes in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and South Africa. The heads of state of the Commonwealth nevertheless decided that the Mozambique issue should be considered as special and not creating a precedent for the future.

Failed membership

Termination of membership

Each Commonwealth country enjoys the unconditional right to unilaterally withdraw from it.

Although heads of government of Commonwealth member countries have the right to suspend the participation of individual countries in the work of Commonwealth bodies, the possibility of exclusion from the Commonwealth is not defined by any documents. At the same time, states of the Commonwealth (Commonwealth Realms) that proclaim themselves to be republics automatically leave the Commonwealth unless they ask the remaining members to maintain their membership in the Commonwealth. Ireland did not make such a request, since at the time of its proclamation of a republic in 1949 this provision did not yet exist. The issue of Ireland joining the Commonwealth has been raised several times, but this proposal does not enjoy support among the local population, who continue to associate the Commonwealth with British imperialism. The Irish Republic became the first state to leave the Commonwealth and not regain its membership.

Suspension of participation in Commonwealth affairs

IN last years There were several cases of suspension of the participation of Commonwealth members “in the activities of Commonwealth Councils” (in meetings of leaders and ministers of member countries) for obvious violations of democratic governance norms. This measure does not terminate that State's membership in the Commonwealth.

This measure was taken in relation to Fiji in and after the military coup in this country and in relation to Pakistan from to and from November for a similar reason.

Nigeria did not participate in the meetings from to. A similar measure was taken in relation to Zimbabwe (the reason was the electoral and land reforms of the government of Robert Mugabe).

Structure of the Commonwealth

Marlborough House, headquarters of the Commonwealth Secretariat

Traditionally, the head of the Commonwealth is declared to be the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. As head of the Commonwealth, she does not perform any formal functions and her role is daily activities organization is only symbolic. In 17 Commonwealth states, the British monarch is still the de jure head of state, but also does not perform formal functions.

The post of head of the Commonwealth is not a title and is not inherited. When there is a change of monarch on the British throne, the heads of government of the Commonwealth member countries will have to make a formal decision on the appointment of a new head of the organization.

The administrative management of the Commonwealth is carried out by the Secretariat, whose headquarters have been located in London since 1965. Since 2008, the head of the Secretariat has been Kamalesh Sharma (India).

The anniversary of the creation of the Commonwealth - Commonwealth Day - is celebrated in the UK on the second Tuesday in March, and the official name of the British Government's Foreign Office (analogous to the Foreign Office) is still the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Foreign and Commonwealth Office ).

Diplomatic relations

The states belonging to the Commonwealth maintain ordinary diplomatic relations among themselves through High Commissioners ( High Commissioners), having the rank of ambassadors. Diplomatic relations between the Commonwealth countries and other states are carried out as usual.

Having lost its industrial monopoly, Great Britain was still the largest colonial power. About 500 million people were under her rule. The territory of the metropolis was 140 times smaller than the colonies. According to the state legal statute, British possessions were divided into four groups: dominions, protectorates, colonies and mandated territories.

So, dominions(translated from English - possession) - Canada, the Commonwealth of Australia, New Zealand, the Union of South Africa - used independence, which was constantly increasing. They not only had their own parliaments, governments, armies and finances, but sometimes they themselves owned colonies, such as Australia. Protectorates became colonial countries with relatively developed state power And public relations. In them, colonial policy was carried out in the form indirect control: There were two levels of colonial administration. Supreme power belonged to the British to governors general. Unlike the governors of the dominions, who rather represented the interests of the British crown, the governors of the protectorates were the sovereign masters of the subject countries. Along with them there was native administration(local rulers, leaders), which enjoyed limited independence, was endowed with certain judicial and police powers: the right to collect local taxes, and had its own budgets. Colonies were dependent territories that were directly administered and subject to London, with little or no rights to self-government. The exception was the crown colonies with a significant layer of white population who had great privileges and even their own colonial parliaments.

Nevertheless, under the pressure of the national liberation movement, which expanded as a result of the development of its own economies and the formation of a national bourgeoisie, the system of colonial administration was gradually reorganized. Changed types British colonial policy. In 1917, at the imperial conference, the status of the dominions was recognized autonomous states British Empire. By participating in the Paris Peace Conference, the Canadian delegation achieved the right for the dominions to independently sign peace treaties and to have separate representation from England in the League of Nations. At the imperial conference held in 1923, England recognized the dominions the right to independently enter into contracts with foreign countries, as well as determine in each special case their participation or non-participation in international treaties, concluded by England. The British government in 1919–1921. was forced to admit independence Afghanistan, Egypt, transfer to the category dominions Ireland. However, even after these countries were granted independence, British capital retained key positions in the economy there. Thousands of British advisers provided big influence on the domestic and foreign policies of the governments of these countries. The governments of Iran, China, and Turkey were strongly influenced by England. In 1921, according to the Anglo-Irish Treaty, six north-eastern counties (Ulster), constituting the most industrially developed part of Ireland, were torn away from England and formed a dominion of the British Empire called Irish Free State.

To maintain control over the resources of these countries in new form– in the form of indirect (indirect) control, at the imperial conferences of the dominions in 1926 and 1930. was developed Constitution British Empire. 11 December 1931 entered into force Statute of Westminster. He secured the unification of the English dominions into the British Commonwealth of Nations and created confederation The statute states that Great Britain and the Dominions “are autonomous state units of the British Empire, equal in statute, not in any respect subordinate to each other in any sense in their internal and foreign affairs, though united by a common allegiance to the Crown, and freely united as members of the British Commonwealth of Nations." The system of colonial management was significantly transformed. According to the Statute of Westminster English king was officially declared the head of the British Commonwealth of Nations, which included: Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, the Irish Free State, and Newfoundland. The Act abolished the right of the British government to interfere in the internal affairs of the Dominions. The Validity of Colonial Laws Act of 1865 no longer applied to the dominions. The Statute of Westminster gave the dominions the right to independently resolve issues of domestic and foreign policy, exchange diplomatic representatives with other countries, and participate in international agreements.

Now English parliament could not to make laws for the dominions except at their request or with their consent. Laws passed by the Dominion parliaments could not be repealed, even if they contradicted English laws. The statute contained a remarkable clause: “However, the principles of equality and similarity attached to status do not extend universally to functions.” Governor General dominion could be appointed by the king only by recommendations Prime Minister of the Dominion. He was no longer considered an authorized representative of the metropolitan government, but only representative king. In addition to the Governor General, British ambassadors were sent to the dominions, called high commissioners. Their role was formally reduced to diplomatic representation. For their part, the dominions received right appoint similar representatives (ambassadors) to the metropolis. Statute of Westminster expanded state independence of the dominions, eliminated a number of disagreements between the bourgeoisie of the dominions and the metropolis. Despite all this, the position of the colonies, protectorates and mandated territories remained the same. For solutions critical issues imperial conferences began to be convened annually prime ministers countries of the British Commonwealth of Nations.

After the Second World War, there came a period of surge in the national liberation movement in the colonies. India, Pakistan, Ceylon in 1946 received the status dominion As a result of the colonial wars they achieved independence Ghana, Federation of Malaya (1957). In 1960, Cyprus and Nigeria became independent. At numerous constitutional conferences of the 40s–60s. XX century, at which the future of British possessions was discussed, their government structure, Great Britain, formally participating in them as a mediator, in reality sought to maintain a British presence in all areas of the future independent states. And she succeeded. So, to open up the possibility of joining Commonwealth for those colonies that accepted dominion status, but established republican form of government, the Conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers in April 1949 decided to repeal the formula of the 1931 Statute of Westminster, which stated that “the members of the Commonwealth are united by a common allegiance to the Crown”, and to consider the English king only “a symbol of the free association of independent member nations and as such Head of the Commonwealth." However, in 1948, Great Britain was forced to recognize Ireland's decision to secede from the British Commonwealth and proclaim the Irish Republic.

IN modern form, the Commonwealth is an association of former dominions that recognize the English monarch as the head of state, and a number of other countries with various forms boards with their own head of state (such as Ghana, Kenya, Sri Lanka). Currently, the British Commonwealth of Nations unites 53 states and represents a modern type confederation. It would seem that confederations are doomed to collapse, but the experience of the Commonwealth allows us to speak of a certain stability of this integration formation. Annual Commonwealth conferences develop solutions to social economic problems in former dominions, mainly located in Africa.