The Commonwealth diaspora is the group of people whose ancestry traces back to countries in the Commonwealth of Nations, a group mainly consisting of former British colonies. [a]
The Commonwealth diaspora is the group of people whose ancestry traces back to countries in the Commonwealth of Nations, a group mainly consisting of former British colonies. [a]
The British Empire enabled a substantial amount of commercial migration; for example, 1.5 million Indian merchants are estimated to have gone abroad in the 19th century. [3] Preferential access to trade with other British colonies, as well as new commercial opportunities unlocked within India by railways and markets established by the British, influenced this migration flow. [4] Indian migrants played a significant role in the expansion of the British Empire, though at times involuntarily, as in the case of many indentured servants or exiled criminals. [5]
In the aftermath of World War 2 and the rapid breakup of the British Empire, Britain invited Commonwealth citizens to immigrate to Britain as part of the post-war rebuilding of the nation. [6] Many of these immigrants faced significant racism. [7] [8] Restrictions on Commonwealth migration to Britain later emerged with the Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962. [9]
Intra-Commonwealth migration began to slow down in general, as recently liberated countries began to develop a greater sense of national identity and desire to limit foreign influences in general. [10]
The Commonwealth diaspora in Britain in particular has been identified as a potential asset, allowing Britain to make economic and other connections to other Commonwealth countries, which has been a particularly relevant topic of discussion as Britain charts its post-Brexit future and decides which groupings of countries to focus on working with (such as with the European Union). [11] [12] [13]
Immigration between Commonwealth countries, which makes up half of all Commonwealth migration, has played a significant role in linking Commonwealth countries together economically and culturally. [14]
The British royalty have previously hosted events commemorating this diaspora. [15]
The English language has played a role in facilitating migration within the Commonwealth. [16]
Various groups in the Commonwealth diaspora, such as Caribbean diasporas, [17] [18] have been noted for being bound together by the sport of cricket, [19] [20] as well as introducing cricket to a number of countries, such as Canada and the United States. [21] [22]
Africa  |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Asia  |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Europe  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Oceania | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Americas |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other diasporas |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Related articles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
