Introducing Commonwealth Values

Unit 1 Contents

Page
Unit introdudion 1

Unit learning outcomes 2

A Commonwealth .of diversity 2

What brings us together? 2

The origins of the Commonwealth . 3

fu~ 3
The European perspective 4
Mixed blessings 4

The mandate of the modern Commonwealth 5

Co-operation and assistance 5
Agreeing to disagree 6
Re-organisation and the establishment of the Secretariat 6
The 1971 Declaration0/ CommonwealthPrinciples 7
Putting principles into practice 8
The Harare Commonwealth Declaration 8

Commonwealth values in the world 10

Conclusionto Unit 1 13

Unit summary 13

Answersto self-help questions 14

References 14
 I

Commonwealth Values in Youth in

Development

Unit 1: Introducing
Commonwealth Values

Unit introduction

Welcome to Unit 1 -Introducing Commonwealth Values. This unit

introduces the notion of Commonwealth values, putting them into the
context of the history of the Commonwealth as an association of nations
that has moved from colonial to cooperative relationships.

Unit 1 begins with a look at the rich diversity of the member states of
the Commonwealth and asks the question: what do they have in
common? Asyou work through the unit, you will examine the origins of
the Commonwealth in the British Empire and explore its evolution into
today's multilateral organisation. You will also be given the opportunity ,
to reflect on what the Commonwealth and its values mean to you and .
explore the organisation's stated key principles and values: cooperation
and consensus, equality and human rights, pluralism and democracy,
participation and empowerment. Finally, you will look at the
Commonwealth's mandate in relation to its member states and its
impact in the global arena.

In this unit you will need to begin your learning journal, so make sure
you have an exercise book er similar writing material on hand.

I MODULE1 UNIT 1: INTRODUCING COMMONWEALTH VALUES I 1

-
 Unit learning outcomes

When you have worked through this unit you should be able to:
• demonstrate a clear understanding of Commonwealth values and
principles
• explain the importance of Commonwealth values and principles
• reflect on those matters which have affected your development.
e.g. values. religion. tradition.

A Commonwealth of diversity ,

You are just starting a course in Commonwealth values. Your classmates

in this course could be from any of 53 Commonwealth member countries.
Their home nations could be developed or developing countries. large or
small in geography and population. landlocked or island states. and
located in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean. Europe. North America or the South
Pacific. While all your fellow students will be able to read and speak
English. it may well not be their first language. The 1.6 billion people
who live in the Commonwealth make up one quarter of the world's
population and represent many different religions. races. languages and
cultures. If this is the reality of the modern Commonwealth. you might
ask: 'What brings us together?', 'What values do we share as countries or
as individuals?'

What brings us together?

At first glance, there would seem to be little to bring such diverse
peoples and nations together in a voluntary association. Yet the
, Commonwealth has grown and flourished. In part, the Commonwealth
works because its members have a shared history, common institutions
and a common language - the legacy of past colonial relationships with
Britain. But these traditions serve only to facilitate cooperation. By
themselves they are not enough to keep the association relevant and
respected. More than other factors. what binds the Commonwealth and
makes it relevant for its diverse members as well as for the rest of the
world are the principles that it represents and the special way it
operates. These make up the Commonwealth values that are the focus
of this course.
••
You might be expecting a list of Commonwealth values to appear here at
the beginning of this unit. But instead, we will ask you to develop your
own list and explore your own understanding. What does the
Commonwealth mean to you? What do you think of when you hear
'Commonwealth values'? Before going on' with this unit, complete
Activity 1.1 below. You will be asked to reflect on your answers again at
the end of this unit and later in the module.

2 I COMMONWEALTH YOUTH PROGRAMME DIPLOMA IN YOUTH IN DEVElOPMENT WORK I

 Activity 1. 1

Take 15 minutes now before you move on in this unit to answer these questions.
• What do you understand by the term 'the Commonwealth'?
• What do you identify as Commonwealth values?

Write down your ideas in your learning journal.

Now, for comparison, ask some of your family, neighbours and friends the same
questions. If possible, ask people from different generations, such as your
parents and grandparents.

Now write in your journal answers to the following questions:

• In what ways were other people's answers similar to yours?
• In what ways were they different?

At the end of this unit we will ask you to return and think again about this
exercise.

The origins of the Commonwealth

It is difficult to put a precise beginning to the modern, Commonwealth,

as it is an institution that has evolved considerably over time. Its roots
lie in the history of the British Empire, but the structure and interests of
the modern Commonwealth really emerged in the post-colonial period.

Trade
Trade was the initial motivation for imperial expansion by European
countries from the 15th century. British rule of territories in India and
elsewhere in Asia began in an effort to secure spice production areas and
trading routes. In 1600 Queen Elizabeth 1 gave the East India Company
the right to establish administrative control over the lands it explored
and acquired .. British involvement in Africa and the Caribbean also
arose out of commercial interests - in this case the slave-trade. Goods
were brought to Africa and exchanged for slaves, who were then
exchanged for sugar in the Qaribbean.

I MODULE 1 UNIT 1: INTRODUCING COMMONWEALTH VALUES I 3

 The European perspective
. The economic benefits of colonial expansion were strong. Colonies
around the world were a source of raw material for British industrial
development, as well as a market for finished goods. But economic self-
interest was not the only motivation for British and other European
ationals who ruled territories scattered around the globe . .Ih-~Y.-¥
enui ~ thet!!!JeJlo.,,-eI.~rI.~fited fro~ the,
ationshjpjnj~rms of improved omer and access to European-goods,
ucation, technology-an<tC1I1ttt!e;-asw.cltas-thmugh conversion to -
fsuaility. 'legal" codes, administrative practices and educational
ySfems eSlablis-hedlil fhecoTonles, often for the first time, were
odelled 011 institutiuns in the "home' country.

Mixed blessings
Most of the early records of colonial history were written from the
perspective of the European powers. In recent years, however, the other
side of the colonial relationship has been put into focus by writers and
historians from Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. They show how many of
the 'benefits' of the relationship were really mixed blessings.
• Roads and railways were developed, but designed to enhance
exports of raw materials and agricultural produce from port
facilities, rather than to transport them to needy areas in the
colony itself.
• Schools greatly improved education, but taught more of the
language, history, culture and values of the colonial master than of
the indigenous population.
• Legal and political institutions were put into place, and the value
of British democracy was much hailed, but the colonial people
were given very limited power or authority over their own
decisions, and there were few opportunities for genuine
democratic participation for the majority of the population.

In addition, imperial policies of favoured treatment for particular ethnic,

tribal or religious groups over others sometimes left a legacy of deep
resentment and rivalry that continued long after independence.

It is in the struggles for self-government and development that many ot

what we now understand as Commonwealth values are clearest
participation, citizenship, human rights, equity .
•

4 I COMMONWEALTH YOUTH PROGRAMME DIPLOMA IN YOUTH IN DEVElOPMENT WORK I '-..

 Self-help question 1.1

In the space provided, write your own explanation of why legal and education
systems put in place by the colonial powers did not greatly improve conditions for
local people in the colonial period. Have the legal and education systems
changed in your country since independence? How have they change?

Compare your answers with those provided at the end of the unit.

The mandate of the modern Commonwealth

The Commonwealth did not have a Charter outlining its purpose and
direction at the outset. It has gone through a gradual evolution over
time as its membership has expanded and the international
environment itself has changed. This is one of the things that makes it
distinct from the United Nations, whose Charter was adopted at its
creation in 1945.

In the immediate post-war period, the Commonwealth served as a kind

of engine for decolonisation, ensuring that independence was achieved
in a comparatively peaceful and friendly manner. As a result, most of
the newly independent states opted to join the association. While the
achievement of independence marked an end to the colonial
relationship, it also marked a new beginning - to the challenge of
political, social and economic development.

Co-operation and assistance

The focus of the Commonwealth from the late 1940s has been
cooperation and consultation on both political and economic affairs.. Of
these two main areas of interest, economic cooperation has proven the
less controversial one. The Cimmonwealth was the impetus for the first
significant development assistance programme in 1950 - the Colombo
Plan providing capital and technical assistance to countries in South and
South-East Asia. It was followed in 1958 and 1960 by Commonwealth
assistance programmes targeted first to Caribbean and then to African
developing countries.
"

I MODULE 1 UNIT 1: INTRODUCING COMMONWEALTH VALUES I 5

 Agreeing to disagree .
Inevltablv, as a greater variety of views assembled around the
Commonwealth table, achieving consensus on political issues became
more challenging. There are many writers and analysts who have
criticised the Commonwealth for failing to secure full coordination of
either foreign policy or economic policy. However, others have noted
that there is considerable value in communication and consultation
among states even when discussions do not result in complete
unanimity or agreement. In principle, consultation provides for greater
mutual understanding between countries.

The ability to maintain friendly relations while 'agreeing to disagree' is

crucial for securing international peace. This facility is often upheld as
the Commonwealth's greatest contribution to world affairs. It has
proven useful in broader contexts like the United Nations, where
consultation among Commonwealth countries was able to circumvent
some of the 'east-west' divisions of the Cold War, as well as the
'developed and developing world' divisions in debates about creating a
new international economic order.

Early challenges
It has not always been easy to maintain these good relations among
Commonwealth states. In the early years of the new Commonwealth
there were several serious differences of opinion that tested the bonds of
the association.

One was the British decision to intervene (with France and Israel) when
Egypt nationalised the Suez Canal in 1956. Britain acted completely
without Commonwealth consultation, which created strongly negative
reactions from most of her colleagues. India threatened to leave the
association. This was the first, though not the last time that the
Commonwealth was thought to be on the verge of dissolution.

Another substantial area of disagreement that began in the early 1960s,

also between Britain and the developing Commonwealth countries, was
over the policies of the white minority regime in Southern Rhodesia, at
the time a self-governing British colony.

Re-org~nisation and the establishment of the

Secretariat
These disagreements cleated deep rifts in the Commonwealth that might
have been difficult to heal had the association not undertaken a
substantial re-organisation in 1965 when the Commonwealth Secretariat
was formed and a Secretary General appointed. With these moves, the
C6mmonwealth shifted from beingdominated by Britain, to being a
genuine multilateral institution, working for and representing all
member states equally. At the same time, member countries recognised
that long-term cooperation needed to be based on a set of agreed

6 I COMMONWEALTH YOUTH PROGRAMME DIPLOMA IN YOUTH IN DEVELOPMENT WORK I

 principles which would provide a framework for avoiding or
constructively settling the kinds of disagreements that the organisation
had been experiencing. These principles emerged from the 1971 Heads
of Government Meeting.

The 1971 Declaration of Commonwealth Principles

The 1971 Commonwealth Headsof Government Meeting in Singapore
was a landmark for the association. Prior to the meeting, Zambian
President Kenneth Kaunda drafted a statement of principles for
discussion. He took the lead becausehe believed that the African
members needed to take a strong position against racial discrimination.
Yet he was also concerned to prevent further breaks in the
Commonwealth. The Declaration of Commonwealth Principles that was
adopted in 1971 (also known as the Singapore Declaration) can be seen
as the first statement of Commonwealth values.

Headsof Government agreed to actively promote the following goals:

• racial equality
• liberty and equality for all citizens
• democratic values and participation
• decolonisation and self-determination
• elimination of global disparities in wealth
• peace through international cooperation.

Reading
Turn to Appendix 1 and read The Declaration of Commonwealth
Principles - TheSingapore Declaration, 1971.

Adivity 1.2

Now that you have read the Declaration, answer the following questions:

1. Do you see these principles put into practice around you in your
community? By your government? By Commonwealth institutions?
••
2. Do you think there has been progress in implementing these principles in
your lifetime?

3. Which values do you feel are most important to young people in your
country today? Why?

I MODULE1 UNIT 1: INTRODUCING COMMONWEALTH VALUES I 7

 .....
, . Putting principles intopradice
The vision of the Commonwealth that is presented in the Singapore
Declaration is of an association based on consultation, discussion and
cooperation that can be a model of understanding among nations. But
the Declaration is not a legally binding document - it is just what it
says, a statement of principles. Some of the goals stated in the
Declaration have seen more progress than others. Not surprisingly,
given its own membership and the political environment at the time,
the principle that the Commonwealth became most known for was racial
equality. However the values of poverty reduction and free and fair
trade were also pursued vigorously, though with a much lower profile,
through programmes financed by the Commonwealth Fund for
Technical Cooperation (which will be discussed further in Unit 2).
'"

Adivity 1.3

From your own understanding of the Commonwealth values stated in the 1971
Singapore Declaration, and your own judgement of events, identify what you
think is the biggest success, biggest failure and' biggest challenge facing the
Commonwealth in implementing the Singapore Declaration.

Write down your responses in your learning journal under the following headings:

Big~est success Reason for success

Biggest failure Reason for failure

_ Biggest challenge Reason for challenge,

11

, The Harare Commonwealth Declaration

In 1989, the Commonwealth began its own review of its record and of
the continuing relevance of the Declaration of Commonwealth Principles
in a changing world. The east-west tension of the Cold War was over, the
popular revolutions in Eastern Europe were strengthening the global
acceptance of democratic principles and values, and the racially

\ 8 I COMMONWEALTH YOUTH PROGRAMME DIPLOMA IN YOUTH IN DEVELOP~ENTWORK I

 segregated regimes of South Africa were in the process of being
transformed, The final product of this period of self-reflection was the
Harare Commonwealth Declaration.

Strengthening Commonwealth principles at Harare

The narare Commonwealth Declaration was issued by Heads of
Government at the end of their 1991 meeting in Harare, Zimbabwe. It
begins by embracing the principles of the Singapore Declaration from
1971. While the 'old' Commonwealth values were reinforced, new issues
also emerged. In 1971, environmental sustainabilltv, gender equity and
combating drug trafficking and abuse were not significant concerns of
the international community. By 1991, this had changed. '

The Harare Declaration pledges the Commonwealth, and member

countries 'to work with renewed vigour' in the following areas:
• protecting and promoting the Commonwealth's fundamental
political values including democracy and human rights
• equality for women
• universal accessto education

• ending apartheid and building a new South Africa

,/
• promoting sustainable development and alleviating poverty

• extending the benefit of development within a human rights

framework
,./"

• protecting the environment

• combating drug abuse and trafficking, and communicable diseases

• helping small states with their economic and security concerns

• promoting peace, disarmament and effective arms control.

I~T~I Reading
LII IIIJ
Read the text of the Harare Commonwealth Declaration of 1991
(Appendix 2).

Take a few minutes to compare it The Declaration of Commonwealth

Ptindples - TheSingapore Declaration, 1971 (Appendix 1).

I MODULE1 UNIT 1: INTRODUCING COMMONWEALTH VALUES I 9

 lit Adivity 1.4

Based on your reading of the above, what are the main similarities and
differences between the two..Declarations?

Write your comments down in your learning journal.

Since 1971, the Declaration of Commonwealth Principles from Singapore,

reinforced and extended at Harare, have been the moral framework for
cooperative action by Headsof Government, for the technical assistance
and other programmes of the Commonwealth Secretariat, and for many
of the organisations that comprise the 'informal Commonwealth'. We
will look in detail at how these principles and values are put into action
in Unit 2.

Commonwealth values in the world

The Declaration of Commonwealth Principles and the Hamre

Commonwealth Declaration contain many admirable statements, goals
and objectives for the Commonwealth as an organisation. Through
them, the Commonwealth saysit values:
• human rights as the foundation of democracy and development
._ equality of all human beings regardlessof gender, race.colour,
creed or political belief '
• empowerment pursued through education and participation
• equity or fairness in the relationships between nations and
, between generations, and protection of vulnerable groups
• democracy to allow everyone the opportunity to expresstheir
opinions and to allow citizens to participate in decision-making
• develI'Pment based on principles of sustainability
f"
• diversity of views and perspectives in both national and
international forums
• dialogue and cOClPerationand building common ground and
consensus
• peace without which these other values are unobtainable.

In many ways, the Commonwealth values stand like a challenge not just
to the Commonwealth, but to the world. They capture some of the most
stirring and pressing concerns of our times.

10 I COMMONWEALTH YOUTH PROGRAMME DIP.lOMA IN YOUTH IN DEVELOPMENT WORK I

 In the 1990s,the United Nations organised a series of major world
conferences on urgent global issuessuch as education, the environment
and sustainable development, human rights, population, social
development, women's equality, urbanisation, food security - most of
these themes are contained in the Harare Commonwealth Declaration.

The same values have been embraced by other international bodies. In

1995, for example, the report of the World Commission on Culture and
Development calls for the acceptance of a new 'global ethics' a set of
common rights and responsibilities for all peoples and governments.
They suggestthat the foundations of global ethics are human rights,
democracy, pluralism and the protection of minorities, a commitment to
peaceful conflict resolution, and equity within and between generations.

Self-help question 1.2

Answer true or false to the following questions:

1. The Commonwealth of Nations has no Charter but has developed a set of

guiding principles over time.

2. The 1991 Harare Commonwealth Declaration arose from a review of the

relevance of the 1971 Singapore Declaration.

3. Declarations are legally binding on member states of the Commonwealth.

Compare your answers with those provided at the end oJ the unit.

Do any of the Commonwealth values inform your current programme of

activity?

If no, how could you improve your programme of activities by adding

Commonwealth values.

If yes, how can you continue t6 improve these?

I MODULE1 UNIT 1: INTRODUCING COMMONWEALTH VALUES I 11

 lit Activity 3.5

.Note: In order to complete this activity you will need access to the text of one of
the human rights conventions discussed in this unit. You will find relevant
I extracts in Appendix 7. -
I .
I

Invite a small group of young people to discuss youth rights with you. You may
wish to choose your colleagues, a group of friends or your fellow students. Now
complete the following tasks.

1. Prepare a short presentation (5-10 minutes) to the group on one human

rights instrument.

In your talk, pick one of the covenants or conventions outlined in this unit
and:
explain what rights it covers
explain how it is monitored (this is outlined in each document)
find out whether your country has ratified the convention
add any other information you feel is useful or relevant.

2.~· Lead a group discussion on your chosen convention.

Working together, pick out 5 or 6 articles from the convention.

I
1
For each article, lead the group in a discussion around the following
I. questions:
.• Is this right important to young people - or could it be in some
circumstances?
Do you know any youl1g people in these kinds of circumstances?
Does this right affect young people in the same way it affects younger
children or older adults?
Do you think young people in your country know about these human
rights? rf not, how can their awareneSs
r
be increased?

Tips for leading the discussion

Try different ways to keep your discussion going. For example:

ask each person for their views in turn
'brainstorm' or get everyone to offer as many suggestions as they can
before discussing any responses in detail. (Make sure you note
down people's suggestions and come back to them.)
encourage the group to~explorethe differences in the situations of
young women and young men in relation to these human rights.

12 I COMMONWEALTH YOUTH PROGRAMME . DIPLOMA IN YOUTH IN DEVELOPMENT WORK ]

Conclusion to Unit 1

In this first unit you have been given an overview of the history of the
Commonwealth, and read official statements of Commonwealth
Principles from Heads of Government. In the rest of this module we will
explore various aspects of Commonwealth values, and look at examples
of how these have or have not been put into practice by the
Commonwealth and other organisations.

Unit summary

In this unit you have covered the following main points:

• the diversity of the Commonwealth member states\

• aspects that Commonwealth countries have in common - history,

institutions and language
• how the Commonwealth originated
• the advantages of colonialism to European powers - including
trade and influence
• the legacies of colonialism including:
transport infrastructure
education systems
legal and political institutions
in some cases, ethnic tensions
• the mixed results of these legacies
• the evolution of the modern Commonwealth and its roles -
including cooperation and assistance to member states
• the Commonwealth's commitment to consensus
• problems and challenges related to this
• the setting up of the Commonwealth Secretariat and Secretary
General - a new direction
• The 1971 Singapore Declaration of Commonwealth Principles
• putting these principles into practice - successes and challenges
• the Harare CommonweaJth Declaration and its principles
• the global implications of these Commonwealth principles and
values.

I MODULE 1 ' UNIT 1: INTRODUCING COMMONWEALTH VALUES I 13

Conclusion to Unit 1

In this first unit you have been given an overview of the history of the
Commonwealth. and read official statements of Commonwealth
Principles from Heads of Government. In the rest of this module we will
explore various aspects of Commonwealth values. and look at examples
of how these have or have not been put into practice by the
Commonwealth and other organisations.

Unit summary

In this unit you have covered the following main points:

• the diversity of the Commonwealth member , states
• aspects that Commonwealth countries have in common - history.
institutions and language
• how the Commonwealth originated
• the advantages of colonialism to European powers - including
trade and influence
• the legacies of colonialism including:
transport infrastructure
education systems
legal and political institutions
in some cases. ethnic tensions
• the mixed results of these legacies
• the evolution of the modern Commonwealth and its roles -
including cooperation and assistance to member states
• the Commonwealth's commitment to consensus
• problems and challenges related to this
• the setting up of the Commonwealth Secretariat and Secretary
General- a new direction
• The 1971 Singapore Declaration of Commonwealth Principles
• putting these principles into practice - successes and challenges
• the narare Commonwealth Declaration and its principles
• the global implications of these Commonwealth principles and
values.

I MODULE 1 ' UNIT 1: INTRODUCING COMMONWEALTH VALUES I 13

 Answers to self-help questions

Self-help question 1.1

legal and education systems introduced by colonial powers were based on

European models and did not necessarily address the needs of local or
indigenous people. They also had the effect of undermining local traditions
and cultures. Most indigenous people were not given accessto basic
education.

Your answer will of course vary from the one we offer, but if it is very
different, work through the first section of Unit 1 again.

1iI, Self-help question 1.2

1::::1I 1. True
2. True

3. False'

References

If you are interested in more detailed accounts of the history of the

Commonwealth, there are many books you can consult, including:
• Tom Soper: Evolving Commonwealth, Pergamon Press,Oxford,
1965
,
• Andrew Walker: The Modern Commonwealth, Longman·Group,
london, 1975
• K.C.Wheare: The Constitutional Structure of the Commonwealth,
Clarendon Press,Oxford, 1960.

14 I COMMONWEALTH YOUTH PROGRAMME DIPLOMA IN YOUTH IN DEVELOPMENT V:I'~K]