Commonwealth economic connection

This study analyzes the Commonwealth of Nations in its spatio-temporal perspective and views this free association of nations. as a model of economic relations among nations-states, belonging to both the North and the South. Born out of an econo-poli tical mutation process extending over cen turies, the Commonwealth is shown to have emerged in the post-war era as a vibrant and growing field of economic activity. The Commonwealth has pioneered the concepts and operations of ECDC and TCDC through its bilateral programmes such as the Colombo Plan since 1950, the SCAAP since 1960 and multilateral pro gramme of CFTC since 1971.

The author establishes that the Common wealth has exhibited how nations, big and small, rich and poor, with wide diversities in races, cultures, traditions, languages and religions, can enter into an effective economic cooperation, so much sought after in the yet-to-take-shape global nego tiations and the North-South dialogue. The diversity within the Commonwealth is no doubt baffling: per capita income ranges between $11400 in Canada to $ 140 in Bangladesh and population ranges between 700,000,000 in India to 7,000 in Nauru. But these diversities constitute complementari ties within the Commonwealth and lend resi lience to it in ensuring development coope ration. The economic connection within the Commonwealth, according to the author, is the citadel of this forum against the deteriorating world economic environment.

The study points out that task before the Commonwealth is indeed gigantic: it has to tackle the problems of the peoples in world's poverty belts in Asia and Africa, as nine-tenths of the Commonwealth comprises developing countries, of which 74 per cent are in Asia. This volume recommends that the Commonwealth countries must expand widely and deeply, their economic links in the decades to come for ensuring the evolution of the New International Econo mic Order.