WTF is the commonwealth exactly?

Question

Ok, I am from a commonwealth country and I have no idea what this means. I think it means **** and is just symbolic. Does the Queen actually have power over my country?

Answer 1

It depends on where you come from for example if you are from Canada or Australia the queen is in actual fact the "Head of state" for that country. The commonwealth that you refer to is in fact the "commonwealth of nations" & is an association of countries that were originally colonised by Britain that are now "independant" countries. Although I know that in Australia the govenor-general is regarded as the head of state he/she is still only the "second in command"

Answer 2

It is an association of countries that used to be part of the British empire.  if you live in a commonwealth country, then your country was probably once part of the Empire, but isn't any more.  The Queen has no power in commonwealth countries, her role is purely ceremonial.

Answer 3

commonwealth of nations as it is correctly known.

check this website for more detail

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealt...

the queen is the head of the commonwealth and so yes she does have power.

Answer 4

The commonwealth is a loose affiliation of former colonies which the queen has only symbolic influence over.

Answer 5

A Commonwealth realm is any one of 16 sovereign states within the Commonwealth of Nations with Elizabeth II as their respective monarch. The Commonwealth realms are sovereign states, united only in the voluntary and symmetric sharing of the institution of the monarchy, the succession, and the Queen herself, in a symmetrical fashion; this means the Commonwealth realms are in personal union with one another. The United Kingdom no longer holds any legislative power over any country besides itself, although some countries continue to use the British Judicial Committee of the Privy Council as part of their judiciary. In realms other than the United Kingdom, the Queen normally exercises only those powers related to her appointment of a Governor-General, usually on the advice of the prime minister of the realm concerned.  In some realms certain other powers are reserved exclusively for her, such as the appointment of extra senators to the Canadian Senate.

Note: The British monarch has many "Royal Prerogatives" which they can exercise at their own discretion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Prero...

Answer 6

I think the Queen should just be that of England now...

Cant believe they are trying to hold onto to their decaying empire.. With the end of the British Empire, Its time to end the British Union.

Answer 7

The Commonwealth is the name of the countries who are associated through the English monarchy. Members of the Commonwealth include Canada, New Zealand, India, and used to include Australia before they opted out. At one time it was an important connection but today, you are quite right in supposing it is mostly symbolic. If you live in a country that is a member of the Commonwealth, then yes, the Queen is the titilar head of your country, even though you may have an elected prime minister who is the actual head of government. But there will be an annual Speech from the Throne, when the Queen (or her stand-in, the Governor General) reads what the Prime Minister has written for her, about what is going to happen in the year ahead and what has been accomplished in the year past.

Answer 8

yes

Answer 9

normally a bunch of scrounging third world countries bleeding us dry!

Answer 10

Symbolic, yes, but not actual.

The Queen doesn't even have much power in the UK anymore.