# The U.S.A and the British Commonwealth of Nations. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 2, 2006, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-u-s-a-and-the-british-commonwealth-of-nations/375040 "2006-10-02T22:27:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-u-s-a-and-the-british-commonwealth-of-nations/375040/1 "2006-10-02T22:27:00Z")
Why isn’t the U.S.A. a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations? Commonwealth members used to be part of the British empire. The U.S. used to be part of the British empire. Commonwealth nations live in cooperation with Britain. The U.S. has good relations with Britain. The Commonwealth of Nations is an association of nations. The U.S. belongs to many treaties and associations of nations. Etc. Thank you in advance to all who reply 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-u-s-a-and-the-british-commonwealth-of-nations/375040/2 "2006-10-02T22:34:07Z")
The modern Commonwealth of Nations was established in 1949. By that point, the US had been seperated from Britain legally, historically, and culturally long enough, that, while we had at one point been a British colony, we no longer had the kind of relationship with Great Britain that the nations who ended up becoming members of the Commonwealth did, and I don’t think Commonwealth membership was ever seriously considered. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-u-s-a-and-the-british-commonwealth-of-nations/375040/3 "2006-10-02T22:34:39Z")
Because the Queen is also queen of the individual Commonwealth countries, and our Consitution specifically forbids reigning royalty. Not to mention that most of the Commonwealth nations had slightly more amicable partings with the British Empire than we did… ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-u-s-a-and-the-british-commonwealth-of-nations/375040/4 "2006-10-02T22:36:12Z")
Anyone remember a little document published in 1776? Called the Declaration of Independence? When we told the King of England to bugger off? Anyone? Anyone? ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-u-s-a-and-the-british-commonwealth-of-nations/375040/5 "2006-10-02T22:42:33Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] Because the Queen is also queen of the individual Commonwealth countries [/QUOTE] Not true. At least, while she’s recognised as head of state by many of them, it’s not a requisite. Pakistan and India are two very obvious examples. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-u-s-a-and-the-british-commonwealth-of-nations/375040/6 "2006-10-02T22:50:26Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] Not true. At least, while she’s recognised as head of state by many of them, it’s not a requisite. Pakistan and India are two very obvious examples. [/QUOTE] While some members of the Commonwealth are indeed republics, what might be a sticking point would be the US recognising the Queen as the head of the Commonwealth. I suspect that would be recogising hereditary monarchy in a way unacceptable to many Americans. In addition, you have to ask, what would the US gain from joining? Very little to compensate from the strong opposition that you would get from many American citizens, both from belonging to a monarchical organisation, and from belonging to another international organisation where the US would be regarded as the equal of lots of small third-world countries. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-u-s-a-and-the-british-commonwealth-of-nations/375040/7 "2006-10-03T05:07:06Z")
Further, the Commonwealth of Nations serves as a club for English-speaking countries that is NOT dominated by the US. It is a place where Canada and Australia can lead. Allowing the Big Guy into the club would ruin it. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-u-s-a-and-the-british-commonwealth-of-nations/375040/8 "2006-10-03T06:15:57Z")
[QUOTE=Paul in Saudi] Further, the Commonwealth of Nations serves as a club for English-speaking countries [/QUOTE] Really? You’re using that description for Malaysia, Mozambique and Bangladesh? ---
**Author:** ![Pjen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Pjen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pjen)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-u-s-a-and-the-british-commonwealth-of-nations/375040/9 "2006-10-03T11:51:16Z")
[QUOTE=Giles] While some members of the Commonwealth are indeed republics, what might be a sticking point would be the US recognising the Queen as the head of the Commonwealth. I suspect that would be recogising hereditary monarchy in a way unacceptable to many Americans. [/QUOTE] Whilst the Queen is Head of the Commonwealth, she is so as her own person and not as Queen of antwhere. Prince Charles will not inherit as of right the Headship of the Commonwealth when Liz expires. She was the glue that kept the Commonwealth together for its first sixty years, but this might not now be needed now that it is a mature organization with fully agreed ends. The biggest reason why we should keep the US out is that the Commonwealth Games are the only arena where the UK does consistently well in many sports! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-u-s-a-and-the-british-commonwealth-of-nations/375040/10 "2006-10-03T12:55:49Z")
Am I the only one who wondered if this was gonna be a discussion of Armstrongist Anglo-Israelite teaching? ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-u-s-a-and-the-british-commonwealth-of-nations/375040/11 "2006-10-03T13:20:58Z")
Mozambique is an oddball as it was never a British colony, but English is still widely spoken (at least among the educated) in both other countries. They also have legal systems heavily influenced be English common law. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-u-s-a-and-the-british-commonwealth-of-nations/375040/12 "2006-10-03T13:48:26Z")
Because, despite the superficially convivial relations between the two countries, Americans HATE the Brits. It’s a littlle-known fact that the last eight of the last 9 US presidents (excepting only Carter), all asked, on their first day in office, “So is there any reason we shouldn’t just wipe Britain off the map? I mean, we’ve got a NEW England over here; it’s not like they’re contributing anything.” ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-u-s-a-and-the-british-commonwealth-of-nations/375040/13 "2006-10-03T13:59:25Z")
[QUOTE=Skald the Rhymer] Because, despite the superficially convivial relations between the two countries, Americans HATE the Brits. It’s a littlle-known fact that the last eight of the last 9 US presidents (excepting only Carter), all asked, on their first day in office, “So is there any reason we shouldn’t just wipe Britain off the map? I mean, we’ve got a NEW England over here; it’s not like they’re contributing anything.” [/QUOTE] _ **Don’t do that** _! Someone might take you seriously! ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-u-s-a-and-the-british-commonwealth-of-nations/375040/14 "2006-10-03T14:02:46Z")
[QUOTE=Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor] _ **Don’t do that** _! Someone might take you seriously! [/QUOTE] Yeah. I’m going to honor a request from a person who is TRAINING COBRAS TO ASSASSINATE ME. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-u-s-a-and-the-british-commonwealth-of-nations/375040/15 "2006-10-03T14:09:29Z")
[QUOTE=Skald the Rhymer] Yeah. I’m going to honor a request from a person who is TRAINING COBRAS TO ASSASSINATE ME. [/QUOTE] No-no-no. Cobra egg omlets. With the Nomands of the desert. \ \ \ ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-u-s-a-and-the-british-commonwealth-of-nations/375040/16 "2006-10-03T16:12:48Z")
[QUOTE=Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor] No-no-no. Cobra egg omlets. With the Nomands of the desert. \ \ \ [/QUOTE] When I am god-king, you are getting _such_ a guillotining. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-u-s-a-and-the-british-commonwealth-of-nations/375040/17 "2006-10-03T17:35:11Z")
[QUOTE=Skald the Rhymer] When I am god-king, you are getting _such_ a guillotining. [/QUOTE] You? God-King? Of _what_? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-u-s-a-and-the-british-commonwealth-of-nations/375040/18 "2006-10-07T11:48:12Z")
You mean our American colonies are now independant?Nobody tells me anything!Just give it amonth or two and they`ll coming crawling back… ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-u-s-a-and-the-british-commonwealth-of-nations/375040/19 "2006-10-07T11:58:55Z")
Huh!You need us Brits Skald , you need us !We buy your sitcoms AND pretend to enjoy them!Our population as a whole genuinlly suffers for the Anglo-American “special relationship” but we can take it ! ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-u-s-a-and-the-british-commonwealth-of-nations/375040/20 "2006-10-07T12:03:08Z")
Yeah what **Lust** said, plus we endure your Starbucks, KFC and McDonalds to name just a few. So there [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-u-s-a-and-the-british-commonwealth-of-nations/375040.md?page=2)