Hi Albert, again a very interesting analysis, though by the late 1950s, the Commonwealth "dog" was being wagged by the newly independent African states "tail" and British policy on decolonization and Africa writ large was being dictated by the newly independent dictatorships that emerged after one-man, one-vote, one-time elections, much to the detriment of the Africans. The flaw in the organization of the Commonwealth, and I might argue with the UN, is that there is no good mechanism to expel members who blatantly and repeatedly violate the principles of the organizations. Further the unrestricted immigration from the former colonies to Britain has come home to roost -- the lion is now toothless and clawless and is being eaten by the jackals.
Perhaps I ought to have written expel with actual consequences. Four countries have been suspended since the mechanism was introduced in 1987: Fiji (three times), Pakistan (twice), Nigeria (1995), and Zimbabwe (2002). Interesting that it took until 2002 for Zimbabwe to be "suspended" (whatever that means) despite the intentional massacre of the Matabele (minimum 50,000 killed) and the forcible removal of white farmers and the resultant near famine that engulfed Zimbabwe and seriously affected food supplies to other countries in the region. Someone warned folks that is what would happen, but they were "evil" so no one wanted to listen to them.
Hi Albert, again a very interesting analysis, though by the late 1950s, the Commonwealth "dog" was being wagged by the newly independent African states "tail" and British policy on decolonization and Africa writ large was being dictated by the newly independent dictatorships that emerged after one-man, one-vote, one-time elections, much to the detriment of the Africans. The flaw in the organization of the Commonwealth, and I might argue with the UN, is that there is no good mechanism to expel members who blatantly and repeatedly violate the principles of the organizations. Further the unrestricted immigration from the former colonies to Britain has come home to roost -- the lion is now toothless and clawless and is being eaten by the jackals.
So...what you are saying is they listened to Franklin too late. ;)
If I recall correctly, since the 1990s the Commonwealth of Nations has done a better job of suspending misbehaving members.
Perhaps I ought to have written expel with actual consequences. Four countries have been suspended since the mechanism was introduced in 1987: Fiji (three times), Pakistan (twice), Nigeria (1995), and Zimbabwe (2002). Interesting that it took until 2002 for Zimbabwe to be "suspended" (whatever that means) despite the intentional massacre of the Matabele (minimum 50,000 killed) and the forcible removal of white farmers and the resultant near famine that engulfed Zimbabwe and seriously affected food supplies to other countries in the region. Someone warned folks that is what would happen, but they were "evil" so no one wanted to listen to them.