CROWN AND COMMONWEALTH
Sir,-The letter of F.C. (Sumner) on this topic expresses an emotional reaction to criticism of Crown and Commonwealth and probably represents a very large body of opinion, But it also includes contentions that cannot be sustained. It claims that for centuries "men and women have worked with courage and vision to build a unique world-wide association of some 600 million people." The facts are that the Empire and Commonwealth . sprang from the self-centred operations of individuals, groups and nations who never dreamed. of building any such worldwide association. For instance, Cromwell’s conquest of Jamaica is described in Hannah’s History of British Foreign Policy, as "an example of pure and unprovoked aggression, from which our history on the whole is very largely free.’ The same authority says that "The Commonwealth was our-one experiment in what would now be called Fascism." Cromwell’s Jamaican exploit . produced a war with Spain. I heartily agree that with all its imperfections the British Empire and Commonwealth has been a great power for good under historical conditions. But the Jamentable under-nourishment, illiteracy and general backwardness of peoples over whom we have held dominion reveals that our Empire and Commonwealth did not function on the altruistic lines that might be deduced from F.C.’s letter. And the difference in our status is indicated by F.C. classing us as "a vital Third Force" in international relations, Time was when we were the First Force, but the glory has departed, and we have to adjust ourselves to the new conditions.
J. MALTON
MURRAY
(Oamaru).
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 37, Issue 945, 20 September 1957, Page 11
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256CROWN AND COMMONWEALTH New Zealand Listener, Volume 37, Issue 945, 20 September 1957, Page 11
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