British Commonwealth Of Nations

[Music] foreign [Music] every year in London a meeting of prime ministers takes place these officials represent independent nations which are members of an organization called the British Commonwealth of Nations [Music] the representatives of the commonwealth countries are an indication of the wide variety of Nations belonging to the organization each representative no matter the size or location of his country has an equal voice in the Affairs of the Commonwealth often called The Heart of the Commonwealth is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland by the early 1960s this International partnership included Cyprus Sierra Leone Ghana Nigeria Tanganyika Uganda Pakistan India Salon the Federation of Malaysia Australia New Zealand and in the Western Hemisphere certain islands in the British West Indies and Canada areas controlled by these nations were also included in the Commonwealth so all together Commonwealth lands covered about one-fourth of the land surface of the Earth and included one-fourth of the world's population to understand this worldwide organization we must know something about the historic and economic foundations perhaps the basic historic Foundation was begun during the reign of Queen Elizabeth the first then English sea captains such as Martin probisher Sir Francis Drake and others explored vast areas and claimed for England many parts of the world they're exploring and seafaring activities reached a climax in 1588. when English Naval forces defeated the great Armada of Spain this Victory established England as a great world sea power soon after this English settlements were established in North America Bermuda and the West Indies and later in Africa Australia and New Zealand English merchants Desiring trade with the newly discovered and settled lands formed trading companies the training companies symbolized by the flags of such organizations as the Hudson's Bay Company and the English East India Company were among the first to develop economic ties between England and far-flung areas the English East India company established in India a number of trading posts or factories between 1600 and 1700. while in Canada Hudson's Bay Company Traders enriched the British economy by exchanging manufactured goods for Furs and other natural wealth so through trade in North America and in Asia historic and economic foundations were being laid for a British Empire an Empire to which after 1800 were added lands in Africa and other parts of the world of great help in establishing European culture in these areas were missionaries who left England to spread Christianity in many parts of the growing Empire this missionary movement was to become another of the historic foundations of the Commonwealth still another historic Foundation especially in India and in Africa was the development of remote areas by Cecil Rhodes and other men known as Empire builders in 1839 the Earl of Durham a British Statesman suggested that certain colonies of the Empire be governed by their own people Lord durum submitted a report recommending that Great Britain Grant her colony of Canada full responsibility for its own government this report of 1839 laid another of the historic foundations of the Commonwealth the freeing of colonial governments by the parliament of Great Britain thus the colony of Canada became in 1867 the Dominion of Canada a self-governing nation in 1901 Australia achieved Independence followed by New Zealand in 1907. the union of South Africa established its own government in 1909. such new nations although practically independent formed a global community of nations with strong historical and economic ties to Great Britain in 1914 the members of the Commonwealth came to the aid of the mother country in magnificent fashion during the years of the first world war by sending troops supplies and ammunition to Aid the war effort following the War the British Parliament sought to give a legal organization to the Commonwealth and to provide a method not only of entering but also of withdrawing from the organization this was done in the statute of Westminster of 1931 in which the condition of voluntary membership in the British Commonwealth was stated in these words the crown is the symbol of the free association of the members of the British Commonwealth of Nations since the statute of Westminster was issued era long a member of the United Kingdom chose to withdraw from the Commonwealth as did the Union of South Africa on the other hand Ghana and Tanganyika chose to join the Commonwealth as did several nations of Asia including Pakistan and India the Commonwealth is not only a voluntary organization but a flexible one India is a good example of this flexibility in 1950 when India became a self-governing republic the Indian people preferred not to recognize the British crown as their symbol of Commonwealth membership yet many Indian leaders had been educated in English schools much of India's increasing agricultural output was due to English encouragement of mechanized farming and many of India's growing industries were financed by English funds so the people of India elected to remain within the Commonwealth though they do not pay allegiance to the British crown here in India House in London many of India's negotiations with other Commonwealth nations are carried on in London the nerve center of the Commonwealth are also delegations from India's Commonwealth neighbors of Pakistan and Salon in addition there are delegations from Australia and other English-speaking Commonwealth Nations such as the Dominion of Canada holding these nations together are common interests and ties which may be grouped as political social and economic among the economic ties binding the member nations is trade Commonwealth Nations have favorable trade agreements with each other Canada for instance generally produces a surplus of Wheat and other grains much of the Surplus agricultural produce can be traded to commonwealth countries that need grain in addition to foodstuffs Canada is also a chief producer of steel heavy machinery and other durable goods Rich deposits of metal ore and abundant power have made Canada a chief source of Steel for a less developed Commonwealth Nations Canada also processes certain metal ores such as bauxite natural resources of extensive water power to generate electricity have helped Canada to become one of the leading industrial nations of the Commonwealth another natural resource wood provides paper one of Canada's Chief trade items in return for its goods Canada may import from the Commonwealth nation of Ghana palm oil made from Palm nuts from Nigeria may come cacao for processing into cocoa or chocolate Automobiles and automobile parts may be exported from the United Kingdom to Canada as well as to Australia or New Zealand these nations in turn export Dairy and meat products as well as their world famous wool and mutton behind this flow of trade among Commonwealth Nations is the economic need for fast efficient payment for goods being shipped from Nation to Nation to see how this need is met we again return to London the financial headquarters of the Commonwealth where branch banks of all the Commonwealth nations are located here there is unrestricted exchange of money between the banks of India of Ghana of Canada and other member nations funds of these nations are freely converted in the offices of the bank of England thus goodship to one Commonwealth Nation may be paid in the funds of that nation and converted by the bank of England into the funds of the Commonwealth nation which has shipped the goods in this way businessmen of Commonwealth lands are encouraged to meet each other's economic needs the people of the Commonwealth also share political hopes and aspirations these political aspirations are met on the understanding that the government of every member nation is responsible to the people it governs thus a parliamentary government such as Canada's based on that of the United Kingdom is found in all Commonwealth Nations this tradition of parliamentary government whether found in New Zealand Pakistan India or any other of the Commonwealth Nations is an historical heritage among the problems of these governments is meeting the social needs of their peoples these needs are many and varied in some parts of India for example the standard of living is low on the other hand the standard of living in such Commonwealth Nations as the United Kingdom and Canada is much higher to promote Better Living in all Commonwealth lands many Commonwealth governments and private agencies are sponsoring scholarships to Leading institutions such as the Royal College of Surgeons in London under such scholarships and grants students from less developed Commonwealth Nations learn the newest and most modern techniques which they can later apply to the peoples of their own countries raising the standard of Health and Living Through education is a common social goal in all Commonwealth Nations sharing educational facilities in India in Africa in Canada and other Commonwealth Nations is another way these nations work together to meet common social needs just as they work together to meet common political objectives and common economic needs as nations of the Commonwealth entered the 1960s they could look back upon nearly a century of significant history as well as major achievements in political economic and social cooperation thank you