It’s been many days, now, since the death of Queen Elizabeth II and ensuing royal ceremonies began dominating television news. MSNBC host and Citizen Board Member Ali Velshi says with the sovereign’s passing comes the passing of “the Commonwealth,” a group of nations around the world “created as a vehicle to preserve Britain’s influence.”
Among these Commonwealth nations, Jamaica, Australia, New Zealand, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda are considering officially withdrawing from their allegiance to the British crown, just as Barbados recently did.
This shift away from the monarchy is a good thing, says Velshi. “The British Empire was brutal,” leaving behind not national or cultural pride, but the legacy of colonization, economic exploitation, violence, bloody wars, racism and slavery. At one point, Great Britain reigned over one-fifth of the world’s surface and one quarter of its population. In the future, perhaps it will rule its own people, full stop.
Listen to the episode:
Watch the episode:
MORE FROM ALI VELSHI IN THE CITIZEN