Explain the British Commonwealth to Me

[Ro_Laren]

I always get confused by the British Commonwealth. For instance, I think of Canada, Australia, & India as different countries… and yet they are Commonwealth nations and the Queen of England is always Head of the Commonwealth (and in the future the King of England will be the Head). I never think of India or Pakistan as having a Queen far away in England (though I am sure I would have thought in those terms if I had been alive when they were colonies of the British Empire). And why is the Queen on the money of the Commonwealth nation of Canada and not on the money of the Commonwealth nation of India? Is it because Canada has a constitutional monarchy and India doesn’t? Of course that does make a point- some countries in the Commonwealth are constitutional monarchies and some aren’t.

What other organizations can the British Commonwealth be compared to? Is it functionally like the UN or any other international organization except that the British Monarch is always the head of the Commonwealth vs. an elected President? Does the ruling British Monarch have any sort of real power over the Commonwealth nations?

 

[T'Girl]

For the most part it's a international trade association. With a couple of exceptions it composed of the UK and former members of the old British Empire.

 

[Uncle Sol]

This video might help answer your questions.

http://youtu.be/rNu8XDBSn10

 

[Miss Chicken]

Though the Queen is the Head of the Commonwealth she is only Head of State for 16 Commonwealth countries (this includes Australia and Canada). 5 other countries are actually monarchies in their own right (for example Swaziland, Malaysia and Tonga - with their own kings). All the other members are Republics with a President as their head of state.

I gather the Queen isn't on Indian notes because she isn't their head of state.

 

[lurok]

It's a sentimental vestige of the Empire. It's probably more diplomatic/political than economic these days.

 

[Ro_Laren]

This video might help answer your questions.

http://youtu.be/rNu8XDBSn10

Nice video. In fact, I ended up watching a number of those user's videos because they were so helpful. However, the only mention of the Commonwealth was that of the Commonwealth Realm (i.e., it didn't mention the British Commonwealth). After seeing the video, I can kinda guess what the British Commonwealth is though.

 

[Avon]

the commonwealth is basically a lot, but not all countries formerly claimed by the british empire. the queen is occasionally the head of state. and some of the countries have the union jack as part of their own flag.

theres not that much point to it really other than the commonwealth games, which is like the olympics minus the countries that usually win everything (no china, usa, russia)

 

[MacLeod]

And it would more accuratly be called the Commonwealth of Nations(short form: the Commonwealth) today .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nations

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

It hasn't been called the British Commonwealth since the 1949 London Declaration. The Commonwealth of Nations includes republics, monarchies with a head of state other than Queen of the UK, and independent states that were once colonies of other nations (Mozambique and Rwanda).

 

[Sam_I_Am]

Interestingly there are no ambassadors sent between Commonwealth countries; the reason being that it would make no sense for the Queen to send herself ambassadors. Thus, each government sends a High Commissioner to the other Commonwealth countries. And instead of Embassies, we have High Commissions.

 

[Avon]

must save a lot of money, not having to buy all that ferrero rocher

 

[scotpens]

Interestingly there are no ambassadors sent between Commonwealth countries; the reason being that it would make no sense for the Queen to send herself ambassadors. Thus, each government sends a High Commissioner to the other Commonwealth countries. And instead of Embassies, we have High Commissions.

Is there any practical difference between these High Commissioners and traditional ambassadors, or is it a case of "to-may-to, to-mah-to"?

 

[Miss Chicken]

I believe that High Commissioners tend to be slightly less formal when dealing with leaders of a country than ambassadors are, that is about the only difference.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Interestingly there are no ambassadors sent between Commonwealth countries; the reason being that it would make no sense for the Queen to send herself ambassadors. Thus, each government sends a High Commissioner to the other Commonwealth countries. And instead of Embassies, we have High Commissions.

Not to mention that at least as far as Canada's concerned, we have a Governor General that acts as the Queen's representative when the Queen herself can't be present. These are used by independent nations within the commonwealth.