Independance Day:- A Black Day for Brits?

[Radagast]

Speaking as a U.K. subject [or citizen, whatever floats your boat ] and a great patriot at that, I am forced to concede that the British Empire, in any way shape, form or fashion, no longer exists.

What we hav now, it may surprise you to learn is the Commonwealth. Which is not the same thing. It was founded by that common upstart Oliver Cromwell (whose Roundheads won the English Civil War and beheaded their rightful King, Charles I of the House of Stuart) and its purpose was benevolent.

Cromwell, after he had succeeded in turning the whole world upside down (modern day people cannot imagine how huge a thing it was to execute their monarch- appointed by God and ruler by divine right), appointed himself Lord Protector. He saw himself as a paragon of democracy and founded parliaments. He then dismissed them when he became drunk with power and ruled with an iron fist- becoming just as tyrannical as Charles had. He founded the 'Common- weal' which means literally 'Common Good' with the purpose of bringing nations into the fold.

The British Empire itself was vast- the largest and greatest the world has ever seen, spanning a fifth of the globe. At its peak, one in four people were a subect of HM George V. Britain was the smallest nation ever to have an empire.

The British Empire once embodied Africa, Malaysia, India, Burma, the West Indies, Iraq, Turkey, Transjordan, Palestine, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Increasing unrest, growth of nationalist movements, and the uncertainty of the white dominions as to what their status meant led to a number of significant events that reshaped the Empire and led to the formation of the Commonwealth.

Today, there are 54 members of the British Commonwealth. It consists of 33 republics, five countries with national monarchies of their own, and 16 constitutional monarchies that recognise Elizabeth II as their Head of State.

The History of the British Commonwealth Timeline

1867 – Canada is the first colony given self-governing Dominion status.

1900 – Australia becomes a Dominion.

1907 – New Zealand becomes a Dominion.

1910 – South Africa becomes a Dominion.

1922 - Southern Irish gain "Dominion" status and becomes known as the Irish Free State.

1926 - Imperial Conference held. For the first time, Britain is prepared to accept the dominions as free countries within the British Commonwealth of Nations.

1930 - First Empire or Commonwealth Games were held.

1931– Statute of Westminster - Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa become freely associated members of the British Commonwealth. This new status of the so-called "White Dominions" helped to ease tension and provided clarification for these countries on their position within the Commonwealth.

1932 - Iraq gains independence.

1932 - Imperial Economic Conference held. In this trade agreement, Britain agreed to give preferential treatment to certain goods from commonwealth nations, and the Commonwealth countries would increase tariffs on goods from non-commonwealth countries.

1936 - Egypt gains independence.

1937 - Imperial Conference held. Commonwealth Nations agreed to appease Hitler and work for peace as they did not want war.

1947 - India granted independence.

1949 – Membership in the Commonwealth widened to include republics such as India, as they were more willing to join this new idea of a Commonwealth of Nations. However, potential members did have to be prepared to accept the British monarch as Head of the Commonwealth though the commonwealth was renamed the Commonwealth of Nations and the use of British was dropped by way of the London Declaration.

1949 – The Republic of Ireland withdraws.

1961 – South Africa withdrew due to apartheid policy.

1965 - Commonwealth Secretariat established as an independent Commonwealth Civil Service.

1971 - Singapore Declaration of Commonwealth Principles. All Commonwealth Nations agree to support this loose set of principles, and as such agree to the idea of individual liberty, international peace and cooperation, opposition to all forms of racism, and a willingness to promote free and fair trade. This is the closest thing the commonwealth has to a proper constitution.

1972 – Pakistan withdrew in protest at the recognition of East Pakistan as Bangladesh, but rejoins some years later.

1973 – System of preferential tariffs was abandoned when Britain joined the European Community.

1991 - Harare Commonwealth Declaration made in which commonwealth countries agreed to promote democracy and human rights in developing countries as well as sustainable economic and social development.

1994 - South Africa rejoins the Commonwealth.