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Comment on Can someone explain the framework of the current British... idk is empire the correct term?

So, Britain is the collective term for the geographic area where the countries of England, Scotland, and Wales reside.

United Kingdom is England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Britons are people. Although just about all will say they are English, Scottish, or Welsh unless they are being weird.

Canada and Australia were colonies which broke away from the British empire at various times and formed independent countries but remain part of the British Commonwealth. And being part of the Commonwealth, we still have the monarch as the head of state but have Governer Generals who perform the monarchs roles when they are not about.

Australia didn’t rebel like those dastardly yanks. We became an independent country in 1901. Not sure about Canada.

Are all parts of the British island the same country?

No.

Or are Scotland and Ireland seperate countries?

Scotland is part of the United Kingdom and has some level of autonomy but is not an independent country. Ireland is an independent country, not be be confused with Northern Ireland which is like Scotland.

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Rentlar@lemmy.ca ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
If you want the extremely brief version of the history, Canada was kind of a thing but not officially until 1867, with the British North America Act, making it officially a country but still a Dominion of the United Kingdom.

In 1949, the Supreme Court of Canada disconnected itself from the British one.

In 1982 the Constitution Act formally removed the power of British Parliament to override the Canadian Parliament, enacted a Constitution and more or less fully established Canada as independent from the UK, in every matter except specific ones relating to the Head of State and the Crown. The Crown’s powers are vested in the Governor General and Lieutenant Governors, and they play very important, but mostly ceremonial roles today.

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TrippaSnippa@lemm.ee ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

And being part of the Commonwealth, we still have the monarch as the head of state but have Governer Generals who perform the monarchs roles when they are not about.

This is true of Australia, but having the British monarch as head of state is not a requirement for Commonwealth membership - there are a few members that have their own heads of state.

Australia didn’t rebel like those dastardly yanks. We became an independent country in 1901.

Expanding on this a bit, while Australia did become its own country in 1901 our legal system was still linked to the British one and the British parliament could legislate for Australia until the Australia Act 1986 was passed, which cut all remaining legal and legislative ties to the UK.

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