The British Empire?

[Zealot]

Australia and New Zealand have been talking for a long time about becoming a republic. From what I understand, nations that have broken away from empires in the past haven't been able to do it without bloodshed. Do the British stand to lose anything if Australia and NZ break away? If so, what? If not, why haven't they done so yet?

[roy]

I dunno about NZ, but the republican movement in Australia has just never had enough support. I don't think the British would really lose anything. It's not like Australia is a dark corner of the Empire they steal resources from anymore. We won't be severing economic ties, anyway. Of course there's not gonna be any bloodshed if another referendum is held and passes this time. To be frank, it doesn't seem like a big issue to me. We'd still be a bourgeois state, and I like getting the Queen's birthday off. I dunno, maybe we could have Republic Day instead.

[EvoMorales]

In a word, tradition.

[Zealot]

I dunno about NZ, but the republican movement in Australia has just never had enough support. I don't think the British would really lose anything. It's not like Australia is a dark corner of the Empire they steal resources from anymore. We won't be severing economic ties, anyway. Of course there's not gonna be any bloodshed if another referendum is held and passes this time. To be frank, it doesn't seem like a big issue to me. We'd still be a bourgeois state, and I like getting the Queen's birthday off. I dunno, maybe we could have Republic Day instead.

That's what I thought but still, the Governor General is vested with way too much power which was used to dismiss the Australian PM in 1975 IIRC. The same happened in Grenada when the Communists seized power, the Governor General requested the US invasion in 1983.

Support for a republic is on an upward trend in NZ but no action has really been taken.

[roy]

Hm, same here. I think a good chunk of the population don't hate the idea but at the same time they don't think such a huge expenditure of time and money would be worth it. Also, tradition. You're absolutely right about the GG, though. That shit's cray.