The Commonwealth: what are the benefits of membership?

vivatifosi

I've been watching the news this morning about Jamaica wanting to leave the Commonwealth. This made me want to know more about what the benefits of staying in are. For example:

* Do Jamaicans have a greater right to visas or access to the UK as a result of being in the Commonwealth (compared to other non-Commonwealth Caribbean states);
* Do Commonwealth countries receive greater funding and aid from the UK than non-Commonwealth ones.

I have no idea what the answer is so wanted to put the question out there and ask more knowledgeable forum members.

My observations:
* When I've been to the Caribbean recently, the nation investing the most in some Commonwealth countries - Grenada would be an example - appeared to be through my simple touristic eyes to be China, not Britain. So why stay in?
* Then you have Mozambique, which has chosen to join the Commonwealth in spite of having no history as part of the British Empire. Why would they have done that if there wasn't some sort of economic benefit?
* My parents, who had lived in Australia in the years prior, were furious when the UK joined the EEC as they felt that the UK had sold its natural trading partners: Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the then less wealthy Commonwealth states, down the river. Is there any benefit at all for the developed nations of being in the club or has their focus moved elsewhere - for example towards the Far East for Australia and NZ.

Just interested to know what you think.

PaulF81

most of the commonwealth nations would still be in mud huts if they werent members. 'legacy' of the empire according to lefties apparently.

PasturesNew

The Queen gets to holiday in hot and remote Commonwealth countries, without the Press going "Oh look - Queen spends money in furren places; no thought for the common man."

purch

The home nations get to win a lot of medals every four years at the Commonwealth Games.

chewmylegoff

Well there is this economic development fund. With a budget of £29 million....!

http://www.thecommonwealth.org/Internal/158192/158185/about_the_cftc/

Generali

Members of the Commonwealth aren't 'foreign' to each other as they are part of the same Commonwealth. This means that countries in the Commonwealth tend to treat other Commonwealth members more favourably, for example if your country doesn't have an Embassy where you are, you can use a British embassy or in some cases one belonging to another Commonwealth member.

AIUI there are also plenty of useful talking shops, particularly for smaller members, surrounding things like law and constitution as most Commonwealth members have a similar system of law to the UK and many even have the Queen as head of state. The UK provide all sorts of services to Commonwealth members including, in some cases I believe, the Appeal Courts.

For the UK it is important as it creates an area of influence and regular contact with other Governments.

New Zealand has a similar system in place with many of the small Pacific nations for whom it prints money and/or stamps, provides a High Court system and in return the islands provide rugby players to the All Blacks.

Radiantsoul

I guess it was established as a way of us Brits conning ourself that we still had an influence in the world comparable to an empire without having to fight for it. A sort of soft power.

I suppose the reality it that it has become more of a sort of sports club that hasn't turned the member into Brad Pitts, but has kept a few pounds off and it doesn't seem worth calling up to cancel the direct debit.

PasturesNew

If I were on Who Wants to be a Millionaire and the question was "Name one commonwealth country" .... I'd fail.

FTBFun

PasturesNew wrote: »

If I were on Who Wants to be a Millionaire and the question was "Name one commonwealth country" .... I'd fail.

Err...the United Kingdom?

Kennyboy66

vivatifosi wrote: »

I've been watching the news this morning about Jamaica wanting to leave the Commonwealth. This made me want to know more about what the benefits of staying in are. For example:

* Do Jamaicans have a greater right to visas or access to the UK as a result of being in the Commonwealth (compared to other non-Commonwealth Caribbean states);
* Do Commonwealth countries receive greater funding and aid from the UK than non-Commonwealth ones.

I have no idea what the answer is so wanted to put the question out there and ask more knowledgeable forum members.

My observations:
* When I've been to the Caribbean recently, the nation investing the most in some Commonwealth countries - Grenada would be an example - appeared to be through my simple touristic eyes to be China, not Britain. So why stay in?
* Then you have Mozambique, which has chosen to join the Commonwealth in spite of having no history as part of the British Empire. Why would they have done that if there wasn't some sort of economic benefit?
* My parents, who had lived in Australia in the years prior, were furious when the UK joined the EEC as they felt that the UK had sold its natural trading partners: Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the then less wealthy Commonwealth states, down the river. Is there any benefit at all for the developed nations of being in the club or has their focus moved elsewhere - for example towards the Far East for Australia and NZ.

Just interested to know what you think.

I thought that replacing the Queen as head or state and actually leaving the commonwealth were 2 separate issues.

India (as well as a few West Indies isles, Trinidad & Tobago) are Republics but still in the Commonwealth.

chewmylegoff

FTBFun wrote: »

Err...the United Kingdom?

don't england, scotland, wales and northern ireland all have separate membership of the commonwealth? i'm basing this entirely on the fact that the compete separately at the commonwealth games.