Canada, Australia and New zealand stay with Britain
- Thread starter Berus
- Start date
I think you need to expand upon your question.
The colonies did remain loyal for a very long time and did stay reasonably integrated.
Do you mean post WW2? Or some sort of imperial federation?
The colonies did remain loyal for a very long time and did stay reasonably integrated.
Do you mean post WW2? Or some sort of imperial federation?
We are apart of the Commonwealth, so technically we are still apart of Britain, regardless.
So, keeping the same monarch, but via a different title and having an independent government below the monarchy level?
Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, Queen of Australia and Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth.
Not sure you can get much more personal than that.
Not sure you can get much more personal than that.
We are in personal union with Britain.
To answer the original question: the populations of these countries are too large to avoid granting self-government. If you want them to avoid drifting into independence like OTL, probably your best chance is to avoid the confederation of Canada and the federation of Australia (keeping the provinces and states as separate self-governing colonies) and eliminate the existence of British Dominions. Then bring about an Imperial Federation in the early-to-mid 20th century once air travel and radio makes such things easier.
I think that Berus is talking about a practical connection rather than historical/symbolic.
To maintain a close political relationship you need to avoid WW1 or have it end in an early Entente victory, you certainly have to avoid the complete clusterfuck that was OTL's Gallipoli. If such a federal arrangement ever takes place Britain is going to have to be prepared to treat Canada, Australia and New Zealand as equals and many British politicians of the time, notably Churchill, had a very condescending attitude to "The Colonials."
So it's possible but it needs a radically different 20th Century, Anaxagoras' Rule Brittania's TL shows one way in which it could have happened.
So it's possible but it needs a radically different 20th Century, Anaxagoras' Rule Brittania's TL shows one way in which it could have happened.
Incorrect my good man, the Commonwealth may have begun as the British Empire but has long since become a talking shop. Her majesty is our Queen by her title as Queen of Australia, the British crown lost its' authority over Australia many years ago.
There is a very minor movement across the former "White Dominions" that advicates forming a Commonwealth Federation between the four nations, or another sovereign entity. The movement usually uses CANZUK (Canada, Australia, New Zeland and the United Kingdom) as a placeholder for the name of their proposed entity.
If you want the White Dominions to stay as part of a Pan-British entity then the logical solution would be to avoid the Statute of Westminister that granted us sovereignty and have a number of butterfly effects move the white dominions and Britain close enough that federation is seen as more feasible than independence.
Have a nice day.
-MRegent
I sort of imagined Canada being part of the United Kingdom, just like Scotland, when I read 'stay with Britain'.
Riain
Banned
The real problem is simple geopolitics. It's very difficult for Canada not to be drawn into the orbit of the US and Australia into the orbit of South East Asia.
Perhaps if Britain had a better 20th century and remained stronger economically and engaged throughout the world Australia, NZ and Canada would see the benefits of stronger partnerships with Britain.
It is a theme that comes up regularly here, I personally like the Britwank on a budget idea where things like the Woomera joint project are used more and Britain builds CVA01 & 02, TSR2 and the like.
Perhaps if Britain had a better 20th century and remained stronger economically and engaged throughout the world Australia, NZ and Canada would see the benefits of stronger partnerships with Britain.
It is a theme that comes up regularly here, I personally like the Britwank on a budget idea where things like the Woomera joint project are used more and Britain builds CVA01 & 02, TSR2 and the like.
BlondieBC
Banned
Right idea, but a bit too late. By the time of the Dominions (1910), the Canadian, Aussie, and NZ had developed. You need to move the imperial parliament back to the middle of Victoria reign. It is a complicated process, but doable with high level support in the UK. England just has to realized that to stay together, they have to share power evenly. The issue will become that the white settler colonies will have great influence in the Imperial parliament, and that sometimes the majority of the English can strongly support things, and that it will not be done. Perhaps it will be on some issue of great importance, but much of the time it will just be symbolic or lower importance items. For example, if they could vote, I bet a lot more of the RN home ports are in Canada, Australia and NZ.
The trouble with Imperial federation, as raised during the 1908 imperial conference (the notes from this are a fascinating read), by those who truely believed in it, that the 'english question' needed to be answered and not just put in the to hard for the moment basket. Essentially, they recognised the issue that to bring about true and equal imperial federation, could not be achieved as the mainly English parliament in London would not treat them as equals in any represented body that had power. Parliament would not reform itself, and it would not commit to a sharing or reduction in its powers.