Definition:
A statute of parliament made in Britain on 3 December 1931 which gave significant equality to a number of dominions within the British Empire. Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and South Africa could now be considered sovereign nations with full control of both domestic and foreign affairs, but with an allegiance to the British Crown. The British Empire was re-invented as the 'British Commonwealth of Nations'.
Over the next five decades the various members of the Commonwealth achieved independence, initially as Commonwealth Realms (recognizing the British Crown as Head of State) and then as Commonwealth Republics (recognizing the British Crown as the symbol of the association of nations).
