To think the Commonwealth has had its day?

[antelopevalley]

The Commonwealth is a colonialist institution based on a history of conquest and slavery.

"The origins of the Commonwealth come from Britain's former Empire. Many of the members of the Commonwealth were territories which had historically come under British rule at various times by settlement, conquest or cession. The administration of such colonies evolved in different ways, to reflect the different circumstances of each territory."
www.royal.uk/commonwealth

The Commonwealth Games have never been held in an African country. Although there have been exceptions, most years it is held in Britain, Australia, New Zealand or Canada. Since 1930 it has only been held three times in other countries. Or seven countries if you include youth games and paraplegic games.

The Commonwealth has no clear role; it confers no trade privileges upon its members, does not coordinate their defence or foreign policy, and lacks both the budget and the executive authority to make a practical difference in the world.

It is a colonialist hangover that has no clear role and should be abolished.
AIBU?

Erm…HOW is that different to what I claim you said?!

@Novella4 said

”don't know whether your use of the phrase 'played a part in slavery' is due to your lack of knowledge or to your attempt to play down the role of the British monarchy in the instigation , organisation and promotion of slavery .”

YOU said:
“You can acknowledge the part your family played in slavery”

Absolutely hysterical that you think it wasn’t you who said that. The words are right there! @Novella4 challenged me on minimising words that YOU said

What’s normal then for coverage of royal tours?

Tours abroad? Thousands of articles. There are lots of publications that cover every day of a tour abroad and publish several articles a day.
Tours abroad are normally a big deal. But it does depend who the Royals are.
Most of the articles on Edward and Sophies tour were really a rehash of the disastrous Cambridges tour.

Most! Did you read them all?
How many were on W&K be S&E? I’m looking for numbers

You can look for the numbers, I would be interested. I am going to the pub now.

It’s ok I’ve googled.

”Sophie Edward Caribbean Tour 2022”

throws up 661,000 results
Hardly ‘no coverage’

”William Kate Caribbean Tour 2022”

Throws up 17.1 million results.

So yea lots less but I would say over half a million articles is pitifully low

Whic remember is NOT the same as the phrase “I am now going to the pub”. Totally different thing

Interesting article here: www.theafricareport.com/71058/the-commonwealth-why-does-it-exist-and-does-it-help-its-members/

I've always though the Commonwealth a rather silly toybox for the Queen, created so she can pretend she still has the empire mummy and daddy did, but if the members relish their connections with her so be it

I do wonder, though, if they'll think it quite such a good idea when she's no longer here - especially when their ambivalence towards Charles was such that she had to ask them to give him the job when the time comes

I do wonder, though, if they'll think it quite such a good idea when she's no longer here.

That sort of implies that people are only staying members of the Commonwealth and joining it in order to please the Queen, meet the Queen, etc? Sounds like the Queen's pretty popular to me.

Of course, there's always the possibility that countries see a benefit of being in such a large group of nations where smaller nations have access to huge trading markets and political influence, including with two G8 countries. Not to mention the investment and financial support given to the poorer countries.

Sounds like the Queen's pretty popular to me

So it seems, yes, and I agree about the enhanced influence and financial issues

I still wonder, though, if the perceived advantages will be enough to tolerate having Charles as their Head - and if so, why the Queen found it necesasary to ask them to give him the job

African states have not and do not base their membership of the Commonwealth on the person of the Queen herself. So, it's a non-sequitur to "wonder, though, if they'll think it quite such a good idea when she's no longer here".

As I argued previously:

African States, in particular, have set out how they benefit:

• amplifies the voice of African nations

• provides an additional means of lobbying major donors and diplomatic players like the UK, India and Canada.

• provides a potential framework for resolving disputes between African members.

"...the beauty of the Commonwealth is that its member states feel that they can approach each other [when serious tensions arise between them]."

• former Ugandan Foreign Minister Martin Aliker in 2015

The above appears to be very important benefits for African nations in joining the Commonwealth.

I wonder if it was more her bringing it up because they couldn't.

A new head of commonwealth would happen when she dies. It's quite bad taste (and in some cultures down right rude) to talk about what happens when someone dies.

If she brings it up, it's less of an awkward situation

If Charles being head is enough to put them off the Commonwealth, then it really doesn't have much to offer them and it shouldn't exist. But if you're getting financial support, access to trade, political influence for the trade off of having a family innocuous guy as your head, it doesn't seem a big thing. And also, he's been around a long time and will know and have been involved with a lot of heads of states and foreign govt members. I've never met Chatles but I have read that people who have are impressed by his knowledge of a variety of matters. As Prince of Wales I don't think he's been a lazy man. You never know, it might be that actually he does hold a position of respect within the Commonwealth and will be an asset. He certainly seems a forward thinker and planner.

I agree. I guess in the future, they'll have some sort of vote. I doubt a King would want to put his name into the hat. It would be both embarrassing and presumptious.

And maybe in its first transition to a new head, a little continuity might be a steadying feature. Especially as Wiiliam has said he doesn't foresee himself as ever being head. Or maybe she's worried that Trudeau and Albanese are trying to destroy each other behind the scenes and she thingks a non-governmental figure will keep them in check better. 😂

I’m sure Australia had a referendum in the 90’s about removing the Queen as HoS?

Antelopevalley

You've made your views on the Commonwealth and the Royal Family clear - what’s your view on the vast investment and increasing influence of China in many Commonwealth countries?

They do not get financial support or access to trade,
They get to meet other leaders and talk to them.

They do not get financial support or access to trade.

There is a wide variety of funding schemes, initiatives and support to help the poorer countries.

There are free trade agreements between developing countries within the CW, supported by the wealthier members. UK exports to the Commonwealth were worth £61.3 billion; British imports from the Commonwealth were £59.3 billion. (Though the majority went to the wealthier countries.) Whilst the UK was in the EU they pushed for EU free trade agreements with several Commonwealth countries. Now we've left, the intention is to negotiate free trade agreements directly. All countries have access to other leaders to start trade discussions.

Excellent question! Wonder if any answer will be forthcoming?

thecommonwealth.org/our-work/creating-better-trade-opportunities

it says on the website above that there is:
The Small States Trade Finance Facility
This Commonwealth-led fund helps small countries import goods at competitive prices. The fund will guarantee loans made by loan providers like local banks, to encourage them to loan money to small and medium businesses.

whilst this is not aid (and only a small part of what they do), I suppose it is giving support to businesses to improve the financial situation in certain countries. It sounds like a lot of the things they do are to do with information - for trade, elections, education etc. which makes sense - countries can learn from each other. Why do leaders attend G7 or international summits?

Of course, there are trade agreements between countries that also happen to be in the Commonwealth. It would be very odd if there was not. The Commonwealth though is not a trading bloc.
Access to trade does not happen as a result of being a member of the Commonwealth.
The Commonwealth is a talking shop.

The Commonwealth Foundation gives out fairly small grants for projects. It gave out five grants in 2018 e.g. to set up 20 self-help groups for disabled people in rural areas. It is not any different from various small charitable foundations that give out grants.

As a talking shop, some small countries with not much influence will see it as useful to get access to leaders from larger and more powerful countries. For them, it is basically a networking organisation where they can build links and try and influence others.

I did not know about this. It was established in 2018. India, Sri Lanka, Mauritius and Malta have provided $5 million of capital to the scheme, called the Commonwealth Small States Trade Finance Facility.

It's much more than a talking shop. The information is easily available online if you want to look but if it makes you happy to think that the Commonwealth is old-fashioned and all the countries will desert it when the queen dies, you carry on with that thought. 56, presumably ignorant, countries disagree with you.

I don't think people will really care about having Charles as head, he seems entirely competent to fulfill that role.

It could really be more awkward even than this.

Most of the Commonwealth nations had slavery in their own right at one time. In some cases they were actively involved with the Atlantic slave trade. In other cases it was the British who were instrumental in stamping it out.

It could come across as a rather backhanded apology. And African nations are usually pretty aware of their own role in the slave trade, much more so than many westerners are.