September 1986 Marxism Today 5 fOCUS

appealed to the British population over the head of its government for support on the sanctions issue and it was Robert Mugabe who led the front-line states in their deter- mination to follow a separate path over sanctions against South Africa. Indeed, it was the issue of Zimbabwean independence which first underlined Bri- tain's changed role in the Commonwealth. Although Mrs Thatcher now likes to lay claim to the Lancaster House settlement as one of her early foreign policy triumphs, it was, in reality, her first defeat. Bishop Muzorewa was supposed to be the British protege in an 'evolutionary' settlement in Salisbury. Lord Carrington, however, realised the inherent unreality of that solution and dragged an The Commonwealth mini-summit: 's Brian Mulroney (left), 's Rajiv Gandhi (rear), , unwilling prime minister into accepting the Australia's Bob Hawke and Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe. radical alternative. Even if Mrs Thatcher has forgotten, Robert Mugabe has not. Upsetting the Commonwealth In the wake of the Marlborough House conference it has become clear that the The Commonwealth mini-summit at the The change that has come about is a future Commonwealth is going to be a very beginning of August has turned out to be a reflection of far more profound changes different creature from the past. In place of milestone in more than one sense. Its most amongst Commonwealth states in the 40 the cosy formula of a family of nations, it will obvious achievement was that the British years that have elapsed since the British become a forum in which the harsh conflict prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, was empire began to fall apart with the end of the of interests between the developed and forced into an implicit admission that the raj. Economic development and the developing world will be argued out in a South African government is impervious to sovereign exercise of political decision has context similar to that of the UN but without any form of reasoned argument over apar- undermined the original assumptions of the inhibiting menace of a US or European theid, even when presented by a British tutelage on which the Commonwealth ideal veto. It is that function that will ensure its government which has run the risk of being was based. survival, together with its facilities for cultu- labelled as racist because of its anxiety to India has made major strides towards ral, economic and technological exchange, avoid the use of sanctions. agricultural self-sufficiency, while also carv- for Britain has no overriding position to Even the prime minister who, one sus- ing out a role as a significant industrial defend, and the new de facto leaders- India, pects, was always the real architect of the power. Nigeria, after the bruising experience Nigeria and Zimbabwe - have learned that anti-sanctions policy, has now had to accept, of the civil war and the Biafra secession, has under the Conservative party at least, Britain albeit with immense and embarrassed reluct- enjoyed the dubious benefits of becoming an has little interest in their priorities. ance, that economic sanctions are now in- oil exporter, while its political system has The issue of direct economic interest, in evitable. Her last ditch stand over the actual foundered over sectarian and tribal tensions. terms of British dominance in trading pat- sanctions to be applied and whether they Yet, even with the memory of repeated army terns, has been settled to Britain's disadvan- should be voluntary or mandatory has done interventions into political life, Nigeria is a tage long ago. Britain leads in exports only to little to dignify the government's earlier dominant element within sub-Saharan Afri- Nigeria (where it supplied 21% of the import scepticism over their effectiveness. Indeed, can politics. total in 1983), and to Zambia. However, both her obduracy has contributed more to the Even more striking has been the growth in countries exported elsewhere. With India, in hostility and suspicion of African common- influence of the front-line states, with Zam- 1983 Britain came behind the USSR, Saudi wealth leaders over British intentions than bia and Zimbabwe at their head. The Carib- Arabia, the USA and Japan, supplying only any other single factor. bean, in the wake of the radicalism of 6.2% of India's imports and taking only At the same time, the mini-summit sym- Michael Manley in and Maurice 5.2% of exports. With Zimbabwe, Britain bolised what has now become an irresistible Bishop with the New Jewel movement in came behind South Africa, supplying 11.5% change in the nature of the Commonwealth , is faced with the pro-Reaganite of the country's imports and taking the same itself. The tensions revealed amongst its conservatism of Eugenia Charles in percentage in exports. There are always members by the South Africa issue have also and Edward Seaga in Jamaica. In short, other sources for imports and it is clear that shown that Britain no longer dominates the commonwealth states, particularly in the Britain does little, unlike other ex-colonial organisation as it did in the past. The formal New Commonwealth, no longer need, nor powers such as France, to encourage trade structure of the Commonwealth, with the will tolerate British patronage. ties over exports. Queen at its head and the British prime The tone is now increasingly set by those The Commonwealth is, thus, primarily a minister by tradition and common consent states in the New Commonwealth which are diplomatic institution in which, now, Britain the first among equals, now no longer prepared to adopt more radical stances over can only anticipate playing a role similar to its corresponds to the political reality. international issues. It was Rajiv Gandhi who other members, where status will come from 6 September 1986 Marxism Today fOCUS cooperation, not from traditional prestige. It will be interesting to see how a future Labour government comes to terms with this new reduced international stature. Past experi- ence has suggested that Labour, too, has assumed Britain's special status of 'first amongst equals' and a future where this no longer applies may be more difficult to digest than Labour politicians might think. George Joffe