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no set pattern for such consultation, no regu-
world wars and having continued close mili-
lar schedule of Commonwealth conferences,
tary cooperation, are putative allies-with the
and no Commonwealth secretariat. A Gov-
possible exceptions of India and Pakistan. The
ernor-General represents the King in a purely
UK has not the ability now to defend the rest
formal sense in each Dominion; most Com-
of the Commonwealth, but while the strategic
monwealth countries maintain High Commis-
dependence of the Dominions on the UK has
sioners in the respective capitals of the others;
thus appreciably weakened, the British tie con-
and the United Kingdom maintains a depart-
tinues to afford them clear advantages. The
ment of the Government in London named the
UK can be counted on for military support
Commonwealth Relations Office which is
where necessary to safeguard the Dominions'
headed by a member of the Cabinet. The UK
security; it produces practically all the mili-
is in fact the keystone of Commonwealth unity.
tary research and intelligence for the Com-
Final decision on all questions of policy, how-
monwealth, making the bulk of the work
ever, remains with the individual Common-
freely available; and it remains the source of
wealth country.
much of the Dominions' war matériel. In
The Commonwealth has been able to exist
some circles there is a feeling that the en-
with such a tenuous political tie, and to unite
couragement of the Dominions to take greater
in cooperative action on serious issues, largely
responsibility for imperial security tends to
because of four major cohesive forces. One
strengthen the unity of the Commonwealth.
force is traditional and sentimental. For
Insofar as Dominion strategic, or other, in-
Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and (to a
terests are affected during Big Power or other
lesser extent) South Africa, the United King-
international negotiations, the UK invariably
dom is the mother country from which large
attempts to protect them.
parts of their populations originally came
The fourth cohesive force is ideological.
(and small additions continue to come), whose
Despite their racial and social diversity, all
earlier history they share, and which, despite
the Commonwealth countries are parliamen-
the opposition of certain non-English-speak-
tary democracies whose governing classes
ing local groups like the French Canadians and
speak the English language at least as a second
the Afrikaners, continues to set many of their
tongue, and in general accept English political
cultural standards.
and economic institutions. Moreover, the
A second force is economic. Important
ideological struggle of the present time, un-
changes have occurred in the older pattern by
derlining the value of solidarity on the part
which the United Kingdom served as the met-
of non-Communist nations and moving the
ropolitan country from which the others drew
free world toward closer unity, also helps hold
most of their manufactured goods and tech-
together the Commonwealth.
nical direction in return for large exports of
All of these cohesive forces, except possibly
raw materials; but the United Kingdom is still
the last, are declining in strength, and the
an immense and stable market for these pri-
Commonwealth is today in a state of transi-
mary products, still technologically more ad-
tion. British weaknesses have attenuated
vanced than the other countries and the major
Commonwealth bonds. The accession from
supplier to them of needed manufactures.
dependent to Dominion status of India
Trade relations, partially protected by prefer-
and Pakistan in August 1947 and Ceylon
ential tariffs and geared to a high volume,
in February 1948 aggravates the problem of
continue therefore to be intimate and mutu-
Commonwealth unity. The populations of
ally beneficial. Financial relations are like-
these Asian countries lack not merely the gen-
wise intimate and cooperative. The older Do-
eral political maturity found in the older Do-
minions have since the war given concrete
minions, but more specifically the feelings
evidence of their interest in restoring British
cherished by Australians or Canadians toward
economic health.
the British Crown. Nevertheless, the con-
A third force is strategic: the Common-
sciousness of interlocking interests permeates
wealth nations, having fought together in two
responsible opinion in all the Commonwealth
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"ocrText": "6\nno set pattern for such consultation, no regu-\nworld wars and having continued close mili-\nlar schedule of Commonwealth conferences,\ntary cooperation, are putative allies-with the\nand no Commonwealth secretariat. A Gov-\npossible exceptions of India and Pakistan. The\nernor-General represents the King in a purely\nUK has not the ability now to defend the rest\nformal sense in each Dominion; most Com-\nof the Commonwealth, but while the strategic\nmonwealth countries maintain High Commis-\ndependence of the Dominions on the UK has\nsioners in the respective capitals of the others;\nthus appreciably weakened, the British tie con-\nand the United Kingdom maintains a depart-\ntinues to afford them clear advantages. The\nment of the Government in London named the\nUK can be counted on for military support\nCommonwealth Relations Office which is\nwhere necessary to safeguard the Dominions'\nheaded by a member of the Cabinet. The UK\nsecurity; it produces practically all the mili-\nis in fact the keystone of Commonwealth unity.\ntary research and intelligence for the Com-\nFinal decision on all questions of policy, how-\nmonwealth, making the bulk of the work\never, remains with the individual Common-\nfreely available; and it remains the source of\nwealth country.\nmuch of the Dominions' war matériel. In\nThe Commonwealth has been able to exist\nsome circles there is a feeling that the en-\nwith such a tenuous political tie, and to unite\ncouragement of the Dominions to take greater\nin cooperative action on serious issues, largely\nresponsibility for imperial security tends to\nbecause of four major cohesive forces. One\nstrengthen the unity of the Commonwealth.\nforce is traditional and sentimental. For\nInsofar as Dominion strategic, or other, in-\nAustralia, New Zealand, Canada, and (to a\nterests are affected during Big Power or other\nlesser extent) South Africa, the United King-\ninternational negotiations, the UK invariably\ndom is the mother country from which large\nattempts to protect them.\nparts of their populations originally came\nThe fourth cohesive force is ideological.\n(and small additions continue to come), whose\nDespite their racial and social diversity, all\nearlier history they share, and which, despite\nthe Commonwealth countries are parliamen-\nthe opposition of certain non-English-speak-\ntary democracies whose governing classes\ning local groups like the French Canadians and\nspeak the English language at least as a second\nthe Afrikaners, continues to set many of their\ntongue, and in general accept English political\ncultural standards.\nand economic institutions. Moreover, the\nA second force is economic. Important\nideological struggle of the present time, un-\nchanges have occurred in the older pattern by\nderlining the value of solidarity on the part\nwhich the United Kingdom served as the met-\nof non-Communist nations and moving the\nropolitan country from which the others drew\nfree world toward closer unity, also helps hold\nmost of their manufactured goods and tech-\ntogether the Commonwealth.\nnical direction in return for large exports of\nAll of these cohesive forces, except possibly\nraw materials; but the United Kingdom is still\nthe last, are declining in strength, and the\nan immense and stable market for these pri-\nCommonwealth is today in a state of transi-\nmary products, still technologically more ad-\ntion. British weaknesses have attenuated\nvanced than the other countries and the major\nCommonwealth bonds. The accession from\nsupplier to them of needed manufactures.\ndependent to Dominion status of India\nTrade relations, partially protected by prefer-\nand Pakistan in August 1947 and Ceylon\nential tariffs and geared to a high volume,\nin February 1948 aggravates the problem of\ncontinue therefore to be intimate and mutu-\nCommonwealth unity. The populations of\nally beneficial. Financial relations are like-\nthese Asian countries lack not merely the gen-\nwise intimate and cooperative. The older Do-\neral political maturity found in the older Do-\nminions have since the war given concrete\nminions, but more specifically the feelings\nevidence of their interest in restoring British\ncherished by Australians or Canadians toward\neconomic health.\nthe British Crown. Nevertheless, the con-\nA third force is strategic: the Common-\nsciousness of interlocking interests permeates\nwealth nations, having fought together in two\nresponsible opinion in all the Commonwealth"
}