COMMONWEALTH

The English noun '''commonwealth''' dates originally from the fifteenth century. The original phrase "common wealth" or "the common weal" comes from the old meaning of "wealth" which is "well-being". The term literally meant "common well-being". Thus commonwealth originally meant a state or nation-state governed for the common good as opposed to an authoritarian state governed for the benefit of a given class of owners. The word was a calque on the Latin word ''res publica'' meaning "public affairs" or "the state", from which the English word republic arises.
Today the term is more general and means a 'political community'.
The type of community indicated by the term commonwealth varies.
For instance, in different contexts it might indicate:

★ a political unit founded in law by agreement of the people for the common good;

★ a federated union of constituent states;

★ a community of sovereign states;

★ a republic;

★ a democratic constitutional monarchy;

International or multinational

Commonwealth of Nations

When capitalized, "Commonwealth" normally refers to the 53 member Commonwealth of Nations—formerly the "British Commonwealth"—a loose confederation of nations formerly members of the British Empire (with one exception: Mozambique, which was a Portuguese possession). The Commonwealth's membership includes both republics and monarchies and the (appointed, not hereditary) head of the Commonwealth of Nations is Queen Elizabeth II. She also reigns as monarch directly in a number of states, known as Commonwealth Realms, notably the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. The Commonwealth of Nations is sometimes referred as the New Commonwealth in a British context.

Commonwealth of Independent States

The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a loose alliance or confederation consisting of 12 of the 15 former Soviet Republics. Its creation signaled the dissolution of the Soviet Union, its purpose being to "allow a civilized divorce" between the Soviet Republics. The CIS has developed as a forum by which the member-states can co-operate in economics, defense and foreign policy.

National

Australia

The term also served when the six Australian colonies federated to form the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. The Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act created a federal system, in which power is divided between the federal, or national, government and the States - the evolved status of the colonies. The Constitution stipulated that Australia was a constitutional monarchy, where the Head of State is the British (or, since 1973, Australian) monarch, who is represented at the federal level by a Governor-General, and at the state level by six Governors, one for each state. The Parliament of Australia was derived from the British, Canadian and American systems to form a uniquely Australian system. It is largely based on the British Westminster System, adopting many of its practices and precedents, but with a similar structure - House of Representatives, and Senate - to the US Congress. In an Australian context, the term "Commonwealth" (capitalised) thus refers to the federal government and "Commonwealth of Australia" is the official name of the country.

Bahamas

The Bahamas, a Commonwealth Realm, adopted the official title ''The Commonwealth of the Bahamas'' upon independence in 1973.

Dominica

The small Caribbean republic of Dominica has used the official style ''Commonwealth of Dominica'' since 1970

Countries that formerly used the style Commonwealth

Great Britain

The Commonwealth of England was the official name of the political unit (de facto military rule in the name of parliamentary supremacy) that replaced the kingdoms of Scotland and England (after the English Civil War) under the rule of Oliver Cromwell and his son and successor Richard from 1649 to 1660. It formed the first republic in the English-speaking world, though this quickly evolved into a de facto monarchy. The Cromwellian Commonwealth is sometimes referred to as the Old Commonwealth in a British context.
Former Labour MP Tony Benn introduced a Commonwealth of Britain Bill several times which would abolish the monarchy and establish a British republic. It has never reached a second reading.

Iceland

Icelandic Commonwealth (''Þjóðveldið Íslands'') 930-1262.

Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Commonwealth of Poland

''Republic'' is still an alternative translation of the traditional name of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Wincenty Kadłubek (Vincent Kadlubo, 1160-1223) used for the first time the original Latin term ''res publica'' in the context of Poland in his "Chronicles of the Kings and Princes of Poland". The name was used officially for the confederal country formed by Poland and Lithuania 1569-1795.
It is also often referred as "Nobles' Commonwealth" (1505-1795, i.e. before the union).
In contemporary political doctrine of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, "our state is a Republic (Commonwealth) under presidency of the King". The commonwealth introduced a doctrine of religious tolerance (see Warsaw Confederation), had its own parliament ''Sejm'' (although elections were restricted to the gentry or ''szlachta'') and elected kings, who were bound to certain contracts ''Pacta conventa'' from the beginning of the reign. The foundation stones of the Commonwealth (also called the Golden Freedoms) used to be

★ free election of the king

★ ''Pacta conventa'', a binding pledge agreed to by the King on his election

★ ''rokosz'', the right of rebellion against kings who did not rule in accordance with their pledge

★ ''liberum veto'' (a later development), the right for a single representative to veto the entire proceedings of the Sejm

★ ''confederatio'' (confederation), a military organisation of the citizens for the attainment of common political aims.
It is worth noting that "A commonwealth of good counsaile" was the title of
the 1607 English translation of the work of Wawrzyniec Grzymała Goślicki "De optimo senatore" that presented to English readers many of the ideas present in the political system of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

Philippines

This was the Commonwealth of the Philippines in free association with the USA between 1935 and 1946.

United States

:''See Commonwealth (United States) and Commonwealth (U.S. insular area).'' Four states in the United States officially designate themselves "commonwealths": Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

Kentucky

Kentucky is designated a Commonwealth by its constitution and is known as the 'Commonwealth of Kentucky'. The 'Commonwealth' gives Kentucky an identity among other states that are known simply as 'states'.

Virginia

Virginia has been known as the 'Commonwealth of Virginia' since before joining the United States.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania uses the term 'Commonwealth' loosely. The 'Commonwealth of Pennsylvania' is its official title.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts is a Commonwealth, declaring itself such in its constitution, which states that "The body politic is formed by a voluntary association of individuals: it is a social compact, by which the whole people covenants with each citizen, and each citizen with the whole people, that all shall be governed by certain laws for the common good."
"Commonwealth" is also used in the U.S. to describe the political relationship between the United States and the overseas unincorporated territories of Puerto Rico and of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Panama

The Republic Of Panama has an unofficial Commonwealth, the Chiriquí province. though not officially a Commonwealth, it is considered by the province inhabitants.

Chiriquí

Despite not being official, the Chiriquí province consider themselves a Panamanian Empire Commonwealth.

Fictional

★ Systems Commonwealth

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