History and Purpose of the Commonwealth of Nations Share By Matt Rosenberg As the British Empire began its process of decolonization and the creation of independent states from former British colonies, there arose a need for an organization of countries formerly part of the Empire. In 1884, Lord Rosebery, a British politician, described the changing British Empire as a "Commonwealth of Nations." Thus, in 1931, the British Commonwealth of Nations was founded under the Statute of Westminster with five initial members - the United Kingdom, Canada, the Irish Free State, Newfoundland, and the Union of South Africa. (Ireland permanently left the Commonwealth in 1949, Newfoundland became part of Canada in 1949, and South Africa left in 1961 due to apartheid but rejoined in 1994 as the Republic of South Africa). In 1946, the word "British" was dropped and the organization became known as simply the Commonwealth of Nations. Australia and New Zealand adopted the Statute in 1942 and 1947, respectively.

With India's independence in 1947, the new country desired to become a Republic and to not utilize the monarchy as their head of state. continue reading below our video 4 Tips for Improving Test Performance The London Declaration of 1949 modified the requirement that members must view the monarchy as their head of state to require that countries recognize the monarchy as simply the leader of the Commonwealth. With this adjustment, additional countries joined the Commonwealth as they gained independence from the United Kingdom so today there are fifty-four member countries. Of the fifty-four, thirty-three are republics (such as India), five have their own monarchies (such as Brunei Darussalam), and sixteen are a constitutional monarchy with the sovereign of the United Kingdom as their head of state (such as Canada and Australia). Although membership requires having been a former dependency of the United Kingdom or a dependency of a dependency, former Portuguese colony Mozambique became a member 1995 under special circumstances due to Mozambique's willingness to support the Commonwealth's fight against apartheid in South Africa. The Secretary General is elected by the Heads of Government of the membership and can serve two four-year terms. The position of Secretary General was established in 1965.

The Commonwealth Secretariat has its headquarters in London and is composed of 320 staff members from the member countries. The Commonwealth maintains its own flag. The purpose of the voluntary Commonwealth is for international cooperation and to advance economics, social development, and human rights in member countries. Decisions of the various Commonwealth councils are non-binding. The Commonwealth of Nations supports the Commonwealth Games, which is a sporting event held every four years for member countries. A Commonwealth Day is celebrated on the second Monday in March. Each year carries a different theme but each country can celebrate the day as they choose. The population of the 54 member states exceeds two billion, about 30% of the world population (India is responsible for a majority of the Commonwealth's population). Commonwealth | association of states | Britannica.com association of states Alternative Titles: British Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth of Nations Related Topics commonwealth (political science) Commonwealth, also called Commonwealth of Nations, formerly (1931–49) British Commonwealth of Nations, a free association of sovereign states comprising the United Kingdom and a number of its former dependencies who have chosen to maintain ties of friendship and practical cooperation and who acknowledge the British monarch as symbolic head of their association.

In 1965 the Commonwealth Secretariat was established in London to organize and coordinate Commonwealth activities. Members of the Commonwealth (left in 1961; rejoined 1994) India (left in 1972; rejoined 1989) Sri Lanka (Tanganyika in 1961; Tanzania in 1964 upon union with Zanzibar [member 1963]) Jamaica (joined as special member; full member since 1999) Swaziland (left in 1987; rejoined 1997; suspended 2009) Bangladesh (joined as special member; full member since 2000) Dominica Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1979 (joined as special member; full member since 1985) Vanuatu (joined as special member; full member since 1985) Saint Kitts and Nevis Rwanda 2009 Historically, the Commonwealth was an evolutionary outgrowth of the British Empire .

The traditional British policy of allowing considerable self-government in its colonies led to the existence by the 19th century of several dependent states that were populated to a significant degree by Europeans accustomed to forms of parliamentary rule and that possessed large measures of sovereignty . By 1931 they were recognized as having special status within the empire by the Statute of Westminster , which referred specifically to a “British Commonwealth of Nations.” The rapid growth of nationalism in other parts of the empire from the 1920s produced a long series of grants of independence, beginning with that to India in 1947, and required a redefinition of the Commonwealth. In 1947 India and Pakistan became members of the Commonwealth, the first with chiefly non-European populations. In 1948 Burma ( Myanmar ) became independent and rejected membership. In 1949 India announced its intention to become a republic , which would have required its withdrawal from the Commonwealth under the existing rules, but at a meeting of Commonwealth heads of government in London in April 1949 it was agreed that India could continue its membership if it accepted the British crown as only “the symbol of the free association” of Commonwealth members.

That declaration was the first to drop the adjective British, and thereafter the official name of the organization became the Commonwealth of Nations, or simply the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth was also beset by other difficulties, some members opting to withdraw from the organization, as did Ireland (1949), South Africa (1961), and Pakistan (1972), though both South Africa and Pakistan eventually rejoined (the former in 1994 and the latter in 1989). Commonwealth membership grew dramatically in the second half of the 20th century as former dependencies attained sovereignty . Most of the dependent states granted independence chose Commonwealth membership, and the organization has even grown to include Mozambique (joined 1995), which was the first country granted entry that was never part of the British Empire or under the control of any member. Similar Topics North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) The Commonwealth differs from other international bodies. It has no formal constitution or bylaws. The members have no legal or formal obligation to one another; they are held together by shared traditions, institutions, and experiences as well as by economic self-interest. Commonwealth action is based upon consultation between members, which is conducted through correspondence and through conversations in meetings.

Each member country sends an emissary, called a high commissioner, to the capitals of the other members. A Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is held every two years. At the meeting in Singapore in 1971, members adopted a declaration that restated the Commonwealth’s voluntary and cooperative nature and committed the organization to promoting international peace, fighting racism, opposing colonial domination, and reducing inequities in wealth. This declaration was echoed at the meeting in Harare , Zimbabwe , in 1991, when leaders further committed the organization to human rights and democracy . Britain has huge overseas investments, both government and private, in the Commonwealth. When Britain joined the European Economic Community (later succeeded by the European Union [EU]) in 1973, the trade privileges of member countries began to be reduced. Now Commonwealth members have trade agreements with the EU. Many of the exports of Commonwealth countries go to other member countries. In 1996 the Commonwealth Africa Investment Fund was established to increase investment in that continent . There are also significant educational links between members, as many British teachers travel overseas and many students from Commonwealth members study in Britain. Other cultural links include the Commonwealth Games , a sporting competition held every four years.

Britannica Stories First World War Iraq – Mosopotamia ( United Kingdom ), 10 August 1920. Palestine (United Kingdom) , from 25 April 1920 (effective 29 September 1923 - 14 May 1948 to the independence of Israel), till 25 May 1946 including Transjordan (the Hashemite emirate, later Kingdom of Jordan). The second group or Class B mandates were all former Schutzgebiete (German territories) in the Subsaharan regions of West - and Central Africa, which were deemed to require a greater level of control by the mandatory power: "...the Mandatory must be responsible for the administration of the territory under conditions which will guarantee freedom of conscience and religion". The mandatory power was forbidden to construct military or naval bases within the mandates.

The Class B mandates were: Tanganyika Territory (United Kingdom) from 20 July 1922, The former German colony of Togoland was split in British Togoland (under an Administrator, a post filled by the colonial Governor of the British Gold Coast (present Ghana) except 30 September 1920 - 11 October 1923 Francis Walter Fillon Jackson) and French Togoland (under a Commissioner) (United Kingdom and France), 20 July 1922 separate Mandates.

The final group, the Class C mandates, including South-West Africa and certain of the South Pacific Islands, were considered to be "best administered under the laws of the mandatory as integral portions of its territory" The Class C mandates were former German possessions: former German New Guinea ( Australia ) from 17 December Nauru , formerly part of German New Guinea ( Australia in effective control, formally together with United Kingdom and New Zealand ) from 17 December 1920 former German Samoa ( New Zealand ) 17 December 1920 a League of Nations mandate, renamed Western Samoa South-West Africa (South Africa); from 1 October 1922 Walvisbaai's (Walvis Bay) administration was also assigned to South West Africa Mandate.​ Britain and her Empire partners were shouldered with these responsibilities: Britain received the mandates for Mesopotamia (later renamed Iraq), Palestine, Transjordan, Tanganyika Territory (for­merly German East Africa), and the Island of Nauru. In addition the mandates for the Cameroons and Togoland were given jointly to Britain and France, and later agreements defined the areas of control.

German South West Africa, renamed the South West Protectorate, was placed under the Union of South Africa. All the German Pacific Islands south of the Equator were assigned to Australia, which included the Bismarck Archipelago, the German Solomon Islands, and German New Guinea. North of the Equator Japan was the mandatory Power. German Samoa was given to New Zealand, and its name changed to Western Samoa. The Empire expanded from 1/4 of the world to 2/5 of the world - it's greatest extent ever.​ The Informal Empire In addition to the British territories around the world, customarily shown in red or pink on maps of the world, there was the British sphere of influence, often known as the ‘Informal Empire’. These were countries which had either been occupied by British troops at one time or had been of strategic or of economic interest to Great Britain. They were independent, but British military and/or economic involvement was significant. Argentina, in South America, was occupied by the British from 1806 to 1807 in an aborted attempt by Britain to build a South American empire.

After the country gained its independence in 1816, many British people continued to settle there and the country was built up on British investment and finance. It has the only Welsh-speaking community outside of Wales. Other South American countries such as Chile and Uruguay were also part of Britain’s ‘informal empire’ due to heavy British investment in their economies. Egypt was occupied by British troops in 1882 to safeguard the Suez Canal. The country was declared as a formal protectorate of Britain in 1914 at the outbreak of the First World War. However, after a nationalist revolt in 1919, Egypt received nominal independence in 1922, but British troops remained in the Suez Canal Zone until 1954. Afghanistan, on the North-West Frontier of the Indian Empire, was invaded by British troops in 1839. An informal protectorate over the country was declared in 1880 with Britain controlling the country’s foreign affairs, but it was abandoned in 1919 as it was difficult to defend during the Third Afghan War (1919-1921).

Nepal, a kingdom on the northern frontier of India, though never annexed into the Indian Empire, was definitely in the British sphere of influence. The famous Ghurkas in the British Army come from Nepal. Its independence was recognised by treaty in 1923. In 1904, the Viceroy of India sent troops into Tibet, immediately north of Nepal, to open up a trade route to China, but this invading force quickly withdrew after meeting heavy resistance. British influence in Tibet did remain for some time. In addition to colonies along the China coast, Britain also had a large area of influence over southeastern China along with France, Germany, Russia and Japan which also had coastal colonies and spheres of influence in other parts of China. British, Americans and French nationals also inhabited the Shanghai International Settelement, a part of the City of Shanghai occupied by foreigners. The Europeans had just carved up Africa among themselves and now they were starting to carve up China. This increasing of foreign spheres of influence over parts of China led to the Boxer Rebellion from 1899 to 1901 in which Chinese nationals attacked foreign properties. This was put down by the armies of the foreign powers.

Japan went on to occupy most of eastern China in the 1930's and 1940's. The Chinese Revolutions of 1912 and 1949 helped to end foreign spheres of influence over China. The First World War In August 1914, when the United Kingdom declared war on Germany and its allies, all of the British Empire was automatically at war. Canadians and Newfoundlanders mainly fought in Europe alongside the British and distinguished themselves in the Battles of Ypres and Vimy Ridge. The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps was a First World War army corps of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force that was formed in Egypt in 1915 and operated during the Battle of Gallipoli . The corps was disbanded in 1916 following the evacuation of Gallipoli. The corps is best remembered today as the source of the acronym ANZAC which has since become a term, "Anzac", for a person from Australia or New Zealand . South Africans mainly fought in Africa and conquered German East Africa and German South West Africa. The war gave the dominions a sense of nationhood and individuality.

Separate Dominion armies and navies, later followed by air forces after the war, were created to help Britain. As far as India was concerned, the war began with an unprecedented outpouring of loyalty and goodwill towards the United Kingdom from within the mainstream political leadership, contrary to initial British fears of an Indian revolt. India under British rule contributed massively to the British war effort by providing men and resources. This was done by the Indian Congress in hope of achieving self-government as India was very much in control of the British. The United Kingdom disappointed the Indians by not providing self-governance, leading to the Gandhiian Era in Indian history. About 1.3 million Indian soldiers and labourers served in Europe , Africa , and the Middle East , while both the Indian government and the princes sent large supplies of food, money, and ammunition. In all 140,000 men served on the Western Front and nearly 700,000 in the Middle East. 47,746 Indian soldiers were killed and 65,126 wounded during World War.

Zones of French and British influence and control in the Ottoman Empire were established by the Sykes-Picot Agreement between the British and French governments on 16 May 1916. More than 65 million - that's more than the population of Britain today - fought in the 1914-18 conflict. More than half were casualties: listed wounded, missing in action or killed. There were about 42 million Allies and 23 million within the Axis of Germany, Austro-Hungarian Empire, Turkey and Bulgaria. Among the Allies there were 12 million Russians. The second biggest group were the nearly 9 million from the British Empire: 15 African countries, from Basutoland to Zanzibar. Five British Atlantic islands. More than 20 islands in the Pacific and Australasia - from Borneo to Tonga. Ten islands in the West Indies, 2 in the Mediterranean , 5 in the India Ocean plus Canada, India, Burma, Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and Singapore. Cartoon from 1900 depicting China being divided up by Britain, Germany, Russia, France and Japan while Chinese anger over the situation grows.

In 1907, the Anglo-Russian Convention divided Persia (now Iran) into three zones including a British Zone in the southeast, a Russian Zone in the north and a Neutral Zone between them. Afghanistan had also been in the British Sphere of Influence as a virtual protectorate since 1881. It remained so until the Third Afghan War in 1919, when the country proclaimed its complete independence. After annexing Iraq, British troops entered Iran (Persia) at the end of the First World War and an informal semi-protectorate was declared over the country in 1919. A more ambitious plan to create new British Protectorates in the Caucasus region after the fall of the Russian Empire, in Georgia and Azerbaijan, was not pursued. The semi-Protectorate in Iran was abandoned also as unworkable. The Anglo-Iranian Oil Company opened up much business between Britain and Iran. The British sphere of influence began to fade after the Second World War, but much British investment remains in countries all over the world. Irish nationalist leader Eamon de Valera ​ First World War PREVIOUS PAGE ​The outbreak of war made the position of Britain in Egypt a difficult one.

The situation was met by the declaration of a British Protectorate over the country on 18th December 1914, when the Khedive Abbas Hilmi was replaced by a Sultan. An uprising against the British in Egypt in 1919 required a tactful solution. On the 28th February 1922, the Protectorate was brought to an end, Egypt was declared sovereign and independent, and the reigning Sultan proclaimed King as Fuad I. Britain was allowed to keep troops in the country, particularly to guard the Suez Canal. This was reviewed with a new Anglo-Egyptian Treaty signed in 1936 when British troops were reduced to just the Suez Canal Zone. The British High Commissioner in Egypt was replaced by an Ambassador. During the First World War, the British encouraged an Arab revolt against the Turks, the Ottomans. The revolt started in June 1916 but most Arabs in the important provinces of Basra, Baghdad and Mosul did not support the British backed leader of the rebellion, the Sherif of Mecca. The revolt was not a success.

During this period, the British had invaded Mesopotamia (Iraq) because among other considerations they they believed intervention would stretch German and Turkish resources. In spite of dreadful conditions of heat and disease, they secured southern Iraq. But General Sir Charles Townshend then decided to assault Baghdad. Townshend's army, was defeated and retreated to Kut-al-Amaya where, it was besieged by the Turks for five months when, 9,000 British and Indian troops surrendered. In 1917 General Stanley Maude's re-organized the army and took Baghdad. The mandate to stay in Iraq came through the post war treaties when the French were given a mandate to run Lebanon and Syria and the British, Iraq and Palestine. In 1921 a conference was held in Cairo to decide the future of Iraq. The colonial secretary was Winston Churchill who rightly believed that Britain couldn't afford to defend Iraq and thought if he could show big savings it would help his ambition to be Chancellor of the Exchequer. The conference chose Faisal the Hashemite son of Sherif Hussein ibn Ali as Iraq's first king. T.E.

Lawrence, Lawrence of Arabia, was at the Cairo conference - reluctantly perhaps - and supported Faisal from his personal knowledge and friendship. The Cairo Conference introduced a twenty year plan that would let Faisal rule but with British advice. In August 1921 Faisal became king and the British ruled. Egypt made Independent A major challenge to the Empire came from Ireland, where it can be argued the British Empire began when Henry II declared himself `Lord of Ireland' in 1171. Ireland had been under English rule for 630 years and 120 years as part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland since 1801. Home rule for Ireland within the United Kingdom had been sought by Charles Stewart Parnell from 1880. Irish nationalist leader John Redmond had achieved the Home Rule Act of 1914 through parliamentary proceedings, but it was shelved due to the outbreak of the First World War.

More extreme Irish nationalists had unilaterally declared an independent Irish Republic in 1916 which was formally established in January 1919 when a more extremist party called Sinn Fein which wanted outright independence for Ireland, won all of the seats in Parliament in Ireland, except for the Protestant northern counties. They refused to take their seats and demanded immediate independence. This was followed by the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921) with the rest of Britain , which was ended by the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1921. The predominantly Protestant counties in northeastern Ireland remained fervantly loyal to Britain. Implementation of Irish home rule was resumed after the First World War. However, due to the opposing views of Catholic and Protestant Irish, the Government of Ireland Act of 1920 was passed by the British Parliament which established two autonomous provinces in Ireland with home rule within the United Kingdom. The partition of Ireland between six north-eastern counties and the rest of Ireland took place on 3 May 1921 under the Government of Ireland Act 1920 .

The 1920 Act created two jurisdictions on the island : Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland both of which were part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. However, with continued violence and this not being satisfactory in Southern Ireland, further negotiations resulted in the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 6 December 1921, which took effect exactly one year later. On 6 December 1922, in accordance with the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the Irish Free State (Agreement) Act 1922, the entire island of Ireland became the Irish Free State , a dominion in the British Empire . British forces would withdraw from most of Ireland which was to become a self-governing dominion of the British Empire; a status shared by Canada , Newfoundland , Australia , New Zealand and the Union of South Africa. As with the other dominions, the British monarch would be the head of state of the Irish Free State (Saorstát Éireann) and would be represented by a Governor General. The National Army of the Irish Free State was established by the Anglo-Irish Treaty and fought the Irish Civil War between June 1922 and May 1923 against republican opponents of the treaty.

The Treaty was given legal effect in the United Kingdom through the Irish Free State Constitution Act 1922 . That Act established, on 6 December 1922, the new Dominion for the whole island of Ireland. Legally therefore, on 6 December 1922, Northern Ireland became an autonomous region of the newly created Irish Free State. However, the Treaty and the laws which implemented it also allowed Northern Ireland to opt out of the Irish Free State. Under Article 12 of the Treaty, Northern Ireland could exercise its opt out by presenting an address to the King requesting not to be part of the Irish Free State. Once the Treaty was ratified, the Houses of Parliament of Northern Ireland had one month (dubbed the Ulster month) to exercise this opt out during which month the Irish Free State Government could not legislate for Northern Ireland, holding the Free State’s effective jurisdiction in abeyance for a month. On 8 December 1922 the Houses of the Parliament of Northern Ireland exercised its right in accordance with Section 12 of the Act and presented to the King an Address whereby it opted out of the new Dominion. The making of the Address had been passed in Belfast the previous day.

With this, Northern Ireland had left the Irish Free State and rejoined the United Kingdom. If the Houses of Parliament of Northern Ireland had not made such a declaration, under Article 14 of the Treaty Northern Ireland, its Parliament and government would have continued in being but the Irish Free State parliament would have had jurisdiction to legislate for Northern Ireland in matters not delegated to Northern Ireland under the Government of Ireland Act. Northern Ireland had been part of the Irish Free State for two days. The six counties in the north of Ireland chose to remain in the United Kingdom as the province of Northern Ireland, which it continues to be today. Northern Ireland was a self-governing province of the United Kingdom with its own parliament. It had a Prime Minister and a Governor representing the Crown. Northern Ireland was almost a Dominion, but it sent members to the British Imperial Parliament at Westminster as well. In 1927, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was renamed as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which it remains today, to reflect the departure of most of Ireland. The King's title was changed accordingly.

The Free State had Dominion status but in contrast to the relatively amicable and gradual develvement of the four other existing Dominions, only after centuries of hatred culminating in civil war. A new constitution adopted by the Free State under the leadership of Eamon de Valera in 1937 dropped the name Irish Free State, renaming it as Eire and declaring it to be a `sovereign independent state'. The Governor General was replaced by a President, though Eire was not technically a republic. This was because the principal key role possessed by a head of state, that of symbolically representing Eire internationally remained vested under statutory law, in the British king as an organ of the Irish government. . The break was completed in 1949 when Eire became the Republic of Ireland outside the Commonwealth, though remaining in a special relationship with the now United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and becoming a fellow European Union member. The desire for home rule or Dominion status, similar to Ireland, began to grow in the rest of the United Kingdom.

A Scottish home rule bill was first presented to the British Parliament in 1913, its progress, along with that of the Irish Home Rule Act 1914 , was interrupted by the First World War and subsequently became overshadowed by the Easter Rising and Irish War of Independence , although the Scottish Office was relocated to St. Andrew's House in Edinburgh during the 1930s. The Scottish National Party was founded in 1934 after the union of two previous nationalist parties and quickly advocated self government for Scotland, probably as a Dominion. Welsh nationalists demanded Dominion Status for Wales also as early as 1934. In 1946, some Ulster Unionists began to consider full Dominion Status for Northern Ireland. Additions to the British Empire NEXT PAGE Imperial Federation Proposal In 1884, the Imperial Federation League was established with the purpose of promoting a Federation of the British Empire governed by an Imperial Parliament with representatives from Britain and the colonies. Firm proposals were drawn up for imperial free trade and for a parliament in London with M.P.'s from the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the West Indies.

It was proposed that M.P.'s from India and other colonies would be added later. The idea of a global inter-continental state was far ahead of its time as international communications and travel were very slow at this time. Joseph Chamerberlain, the Secretary for the Colonies in the early 1900's, was an avid supporter of the idea. However, it was opposed by many Canadian and South African politicians. The movement dissolved in 1911 due to disagreement and the last proposal for an imperial federation parliament was put forward in 1919. However, the movement was successful in getting Imperial Conferences established, which continue today as Commonwealth Conferences. Colonial Conferences in London of leaders of the various parts of the British Empire began in 1887, being restyled as Imperial Conferences in 1911 and continuing as such until 1937. They then stopped due to the Second World War, but then resumed in 1944 as British Empire and Commonwealth Conferences, becoming just Commonwealth Conferences in 1949.

Since 1973, they have been held every two years in all different parts of the Commonwealth and are called CHOGM – Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting. Empire Free Trade was established at Ottawa in 1932. After the First World War, the idea of drawing the British colonies closer together in imperial federation faded away to be replaced by greater colonial self-government and cooperation. The last Imperial Federation proposal put forward in 1919: British Empire Federal Parliament: 300 Seats England and Wales: 185 seats Scotland: 25 seats Canada and Newfoundland: 20 seats Australia: 15 seats No Republic! Australians for Constitutional Monarchy - Why Ireland left the Commonwealth - and why she should come back Why Ireland left the Commonwealth - and why she should come back Why Ireland left the Commonwealth - and why she should come back Written by Professor David Flint AM Saturday, 28 May 2011 As the Queen's May 2011 visit to Dublin approached, I was asked about its relevance by the ABC. I said it would be no doubt one of the most challenging Royal Visits that The Queen had undertaken. The programme may be heard here.

[Cannons used in the seige of Derry, 1689 ..and which caused Ireland to leave the Commonwealth ] In parts that were not included in the short broadcast I spoke to the journalist about the context and the possibility of Ireland returning to the Commonwealth. The broader context includes:- · Ireland's troubled history, · how De Valera took advantage of the abdication to minimise the Crown, · the truly extraordinary reason for Ireland leaving the Commonwealth and for the Republic, · the Queen Mother's amusing comment at the time, · how vindictive Australia’ s Republicans were when they were caught out for being completely negligent about the Commonwealth rule which Ireland could have used in 1949, and · why Ireland should come back late. Did you know that the reason Ireland became a republic (in 1949 not as ABC TV's Lateline says, 1922) and left the Commonwealth was that one politician felt he had been insulted? Did you know that those who wanted a separate Ireland had everything they wanted in 1914, but the war intervened to delay it? Republican hotheads spoiled everything. ...Troubled history... The relationship between Britain and Ireland had been difficult.

The British in principle, certainly from the second half of the 19th century, had had no objection in principle to home rule for Ireland. Gladstone had attempted to do this twice; it was the divisions in Ireland which so long delayed this. In fact under the Government of Ireland Act 1914, home rule, full dominion status was granted. But with the outbreak of the First World War this was supended. When extremist republicans mounted the Easter Uprising in 1916 there was little support among the Irish. The uprising was pointless as home rule was agreed but only delayed by the war; it was of course seen as aiding the enemy. But the overreaction of the British general and the rushed executions of the leaders embittered relations and led to further postponements of home rule. The path to southern Ireland becoming an independent dominion within the Commonwealth as the Irish Free State was not easy, and was preceded by a war and followed by a civil war between the moderates and the extremist republicans. Peace was only achieved by partition, by the six northern counties remaining part of the United Kingdom, and by the defeat of the extreme republicans. ....taking advantage of the abdication....

More than a decade later the Irish Prime Minister, Eamon de Valera, was to take advantage of the abdication of Edward VIII to have parliament pass the Constitution (Amendment No. 27) Act removing the Crown and The King from the constitution and abolished the office of Governor-General. De Valera neither wanted to legislate with respect to the Crown to give effect to the abdication, nor go down the alternative path contemplated by the Statute of Westminster - requesting the British to legislate for the Irish Free State. Warned this was ineffective, he had Parliament pass the Executive Authority (External Relations) Act 1936 reviving the external relations role of the King of Ireland . Hence forth the King would only act on the appointment of diplomatic and consular representatives and on the conclusion of international agreements on the advice of the Irish government. During the Second World War the Irish government declared Sohtern Irelands neutrality, although many Irish men and women were to serve in the British Army, the Royal Navy and the RAAF. ...a republic, leaving the Commonwealth...

The story of the declaration of a republic and the withdrawal of Ireland the Republic of Ireland from the Commonwealth is told by Mary Kenny in a superb book, The Crown and Shamrock: Love and Hate Between Ireland and the British Monarchy (You can acquire a copy of this by clicking here at a special prize price of three of tax and postage.) This occurred in October 1948 when the then Taoiseach (Prime Minister) John Costello was at the Commonwealth conference in Canada in 1948. This was the first conference at which an Irish representative was present since before the second world war. Mr Costello seems to have formed the opinion that the Governor General Lord Alexander had snubbed him and his wife. Lord Alexander- then Viscount later Earl Alexander of Tunis - was an Anglo-Irish aristocrat, a Field Marshal and one of the great generals of the Second World War. He was a very popular Governor General. Mr Costello was offended when a silver replica of “Roaring Meg” was placed on the dinner table. This was the famous cannon used by the Protestants in the defence of Derry's walls against the Catholics during the siege of Derry in 1689. Mr.

Costello told one of his ministers:“I was so insulted by these things that I lost my temper and declared it [that is the repeal of the External Relations Act]. Apparently everybody was caught by surprise. Many Irish men and women were appalled. The interesting point is that Eamon de Valera was opposed saying he would have retained the link to preserve relations with Northern Ireland. He stayed away from the main celebrations marking the Republic. He had in the past on several occasions rejected suggestions that of Ireland leave the Commonwealth. ...The King saddened... After the departure the King and Queen made a special point of being extremely courteous and cordial to the Irish High Commissioner in London, John Dulanty. The King indicated that he was saddened by the departure. The following evening, Mr Dulanty was at another reception given by the Prime Minister of Ceylon. The King and the Queen were present, and during the discussions, one High Commissioner quipped that it was very likely the Irish government had forgotten that Mr Dulanty was still in London as High Commissioner.

The Queen replied with a very quick riposte that brought gales of laughter, so much so that Dulanty did not quite catch the witticism She said that she did not think the Irish government was given to forgetting. ...Ireland could have reapplied... The point is that there was no reason why Ireland could not have re-applied to join the Commonwealth as India did when she became a republic in the following year, 1949. ...Caught out being negligent, Australia's republicans become vindictive... This rule requiring re-application still applied in 1999. The republicans had carelessly not checked this out and made no preparations. Instead of acknowledging and correcting their error, they became abusive when we pointed this out. That ACM was correct was demonstrated as correct and truthful in the 2007 CHOGM when : "... it was agreed that the old procedure of reapplying for membership is not necessary.. where an existing member changes its constitutional status, e.g. from a monarchy to a republic, it should not have to reapply for Commonwealth membership as long as it continues to accept all elements of the criteria for membership."Note that.

CHOGM itself refers to the “old procedure of reapplying for membership is not necessary.” When I pointed this out in 1999, Bob Hawke told John Laws national breakfast programme on 2UE that I was a liar. Malcolm Turnbull and Greg Barns supported that line. In a recent book , Professor George Williams accuses me of scaremongering about the Commonwealth in 1999. .....Come back Ireland... We have long argued in this column that Ireland should return to the Commonwealth. The sharing of traditions, history, the law, parliament, language and literature is too strong.Ireland's peremptory departure from the Commonwealth many saddened many across the world. There was no retribution from the United Kingdom; in fact she immediately made arrangements to give Ireland and the Irish a special status in the United Kingdom.As Mary Kenny recounts the relationship is a love hate one and the Royal visit was overdue, but of course impossible during the “troubles”. The Queen has been superb, and she has played a major role in the full reconciliation of the nations.

BBC - KS3 Bitesize History - The British Empire through time : Revision, Page 6 The British Empire through time Next The British Empire after 1924 After the First World War it became increasingly difficult for Britain to hold on to her Empire. It became clear that: Britain could no longer afford an Empire Britain had no right to rule peoples who did not want to be ruled by Britain Britain realised that the Royal Navy was not strong enough to protect all the Empire anywhere in the world The Treaty of Versailles (1919) promoted 'self-determination', or the right to rule yourself. It was difficult for Britain to support this principle for other countries, but deny it to countries in the Empire: Ireland rebelled between 1919 and 1921. In 1920‒1921 it was divided into Northern Ireland, which was part of the UK, and the Irish Free State, a dominion [dominion: A country ruled by a single ruler. A self-governing colony of the British Empire.] like Canada. In 1937 it became more independent as Éire. In 1949 Éire became the completely independent Republic of Ireland and left the Commonwealth.

There was a strong independence movement in India: the British government massacred a peaceful gathering at Amritsar in 1919 Mohandas Gandhi led a non-cooperation movement which refused to obey British laws, eg the Salt March, 1930 in 1935 the Government of India Act gave Indians control of everything except foreign policy The British Empire was dismantled and replaced by a voluntary organisation of former colonies called the Commonwealth: In 1926, the British government agreed the Balfour Declaration – that Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa were completely independent countries, "freely associated as members of the British Commonwealth of Nations". In 1947, India and Pakistan were given independence. In 1960, British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan admitted there was a "wind of change" in Africa. Most of Britain's African and Caribbean colonies achieved independence in the 1960s. In 1997, Britain formally handed Hong Kong back to China. Empire v. EEC Until the 1960s, Britain was part of a Commonwealth trading community based on the Empire.

In 1973, Britain joined the European Economic Community, and became part of a trading community based on free trade between the countries of Europe. Page

Question: Which country left the British Commonwealth in 1949?
Answer: Ireland