UPSC Prelims 2010 Q130: Current Affairs – International Organisations & Groupings
Consider the following statements:
1. The Commonwealth has no charter, treaty or constitution.
2. All the territories/countries once under the British empire (jurisdiction/rule/mandate)
automatically joined the Commonwealth as its members.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) Both 1 and 2
- (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (a) 1 only
Explanation
Checking two claims about the Commonwealth
The Commonwealth of Nations has a distinctive, informal institutional structure compared to typical international organizations.
| Statement | Verdict | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The Commonwealth has no charter, treaty, or constitution | Correct | At the time, the Commonwealth operated without a formal founding charter, treaty, or constitution, relying instead on shared values and voluntary association (a formal Charter was only adopted later, in 2012) |
| 2. All former British-ruled territories automatically joined as members | Incorrect | Commonwealth membership is voluntary; former British territories had to choose to join, and some (like Myanmar/Ireland at various points) did not become or remain members |
Commonwealth facts (at the time):
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Formal charter | None at the time (adopted only in 2012) |
| Membership | Voluntary, not automatic |
Answer: (a) 1 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. The Commonwealth genuinely had no formal charter/treaty/constitution at the time; membership was never automatic.
- (b) Incorrect. Membership was voluntary, not automatic for all former British territories.
- (c) Incorrect. Statement 2 is false, so 'both' cannot be correct.
- (d) Incorrect. Statement 1 is accurate, so 'neither' is wrong.
Key point
The Commonwealth had no formal charter/treaty/constitution (at the time this question was set) — but membership was always VOLUNTARY, never automatic for former British-ruled territories.
Remember
Commonwealth: had no formal charter/treaty/constitution; membership was always voluntary, never automatic for former British territories.
Common mistakes
- Assuming all former British colonies automatically became Commonwealth members.
- Not knowing the Commonwealth's informal, non-charter-based structure (pre-2012).
- Confusing voluntary association with automatic inheritance of membership.
Exam tip
Commonwealth membership is always voluntary — no automatic inheritance from former British rule. And it had no formal charter until 2012.
Sources
- Commonwealth Secretariat — Singapore Declaration of Commonwealth Principles (1971)
- Commonwealth Secretariat — Harare Commonwealth Declaration (1991)