Commonwealth
A commonwealth is an organization or alliance of nations that collaborates to pursue shared interests while allowing member states to maintain their own governments. Members often engage in trade agreements, security pacts, and joint initiatives, benefiting from the collective power and visibility on the international stage. The structure of a commonwealth can vary significantly, from informal assemblies where representatives meet periodically to formal organizations with legislative bodies and specific operational goals. Notable examples include the Commonwealth of Nations, which emerged from the British Empire, and the Commonwealth of Independent States, formed after the Soviet Union's collapse. While membership is typically voluntary and requires government approval, citizen involvement may be indirect, particularly in nations with democratic systems where voters influence the selection of representatives who support or oppose commonwealth membership. In some cases, as seen in developing nations, decisions regarding membership may be made by political leaders with limited public input. Commonwealths can also address a wide range of issues, including human rights, economic development, and regional security, often collaborating with nonprofit organizations to implement their policies effectively.
Commonwealth
Guiding Premise
A commonwealth is an organization or alliance of nations connected for the purposes of satisfying a common interest. The participating states may retain their own governments, some of which are often considerably different from one another. Although commonwealth members tend to retain their own sovereign government institutions, they collaborate with other members to create mutually agreeable policies that meet their collective interests. Some nations join commonwealths to enhance their visibility and political power on the international stage. Others join commonwealths for security or economic reasons. Commonwealth members frequently engage in trade agreements, security pacts, and other programs. Some commonwealths are regional, while others are global.
Typical Structure
A commonwealth’s structure depends largely on the nature of the organization and the interests it serves. Some commonwealths are relatively informal in nature, with members meeting on a periodic basis and participating voluntarily. This informality does not undermine the effectiveness of the organization, however—members still enjoy a closer relationship than that which exists among unaffiliated states. Commonwealths typically have a president, secretary general, or, in the case of the Commonwealth of Nations (a commonwealth that developed out of the British Empire), a monarch acting as the leader of the organization. Members appoint delegates to serve at summits, committee meetings, and other commonwealth events and programs.
Other commonwealths are more formal in structure and procedures. They operate based on mission statements with very specific goals and member participation requirements. These organizations have legislative bodies that meet regularly. There are even joint security operations involving members. The African Union, for example, operates according to a constitution and collectively addresses issues facing the entire African continent, such as HIV/AIDS, regional security, environmental protection, and economic cooperation.
One of the best-known commonwealths in modern history was the Soviet Union. This collective of communist states was similar to other commonwealths, but the members of the Soviet Union, although they retained their own sovereign government institutions, largely deferred to the organization’s central leadership in Moscow, which in turn deferred to the Communist Party leadership. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, a dozen former Soviet states, including Russia, reconnected as the Commonwealth of Independent States. This organization features a central council in Minsk, Belarus. This council consists of the heads of state and heads of government for each member nation, along with their cabinet ministers for defense and foreign affairs.
Commonwealth structures and agendas vary. Some focus on trade and economic development, as well as using their respective members’ collective power to address human rights, global climate change, and other issues. Others are focused on regional stability and mutual defense, including prevention of nuclear weapons proliferation. The diversity of issues for which commonwealths are formed contributes to the frequency of member meetings as well as the actions carried out by the organization.
Role of the Citizen
Most commonwealths are voluntary in nature, which means that the member states must choose to join with the approval of their respective governments. A nation with a democratic government, therefore, would need the sanction of its popularly elected legislative and executive bodies in order to proceed. Thus, the role of the private citizen with regard to a commonwealth is indirect—the people may have the power to vote for or against a legislative or executive candidate based on his or her position concerning membership in a commonwealth.
Some members of commonwealths, however, do not feature a democratic government, or their respective governmental infrastructures are not yet in place. Rwanda, for instance, is a developing nation whose 2009 decision to join the Commonwealth of Nations likely came from the political leadership with very little input from its citizens, as Rwandans have very limited political freedom.
While citizens may not directly influence the actions of a commonwealth, they may work closely with its representatives. Many volunteer nonprofit organizations—having direct experience with, for example, HIV/AIDS, certain minority groups, or environmental issues—work in partnership with the various branches of a commonwealth’s central council. In fact, such organizations are frequently called upon in this regard to implement the policies of a commonwealth, receiving financial and logistical support when working in impoverished and/or war-torn regions. Those working for such organizations may therefore prove invaluable to the effectiveness of a commonwealth’s programs.
Examples
Commonwealth of Independent States
Northern Mariana Islands (and the United States)
Puerto Rico (and the United States)
Bibliography
“About Commonwealth of Independent States.” Interstate Statistical Committee of the Commonwealth of Independent States, www.cisstat.com/eng/cis.htm. Accessed 31 Jan. 2022.
“The Commonwealth.” Commonwealth of Nations, thecommonwealth.org/. Accessed 31 Jan. 2022.
Duany, Jorge. "Understanding Puerto Rico's Commonwealth Status." OUPblog, Oxford UP, 30 Sept. 2017, blog.oup.com/2017/09/understanding-puerto-ricos-commonwealth-status/. Accessed 8 Jan. 2019.
"Government Type." The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/field/government-type/. Accessed 31 Jan. 2022.
Hall, Hessel Duncan. Commonwealth: A History of the British Commonwealth of Nations. Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1971.