User:Brian/FCS3

thumb|500px|Map showing proposed member states coloured green.

The Federal Commonwealth Society (FCS) is an organisation that promotes greater political affiliation between the Commonwealth Realms, seeking an eventual federal alliance. Founded in London, UK in 2002, the FCS Head Office is now located in Toronto, Canada.

Ideas and Objectives
The FCS desires a closer union among Commonwealth members so as to enhance the mutual benefits of membership. The FCS wishes to establish a federal body of some of the Commonwealth members, centred around a group of four founder members referred to collectively as CANZUK (Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom). The FCS aim for that body is for it to be responsible for establishing a common trade policy, foreign policy, and defence policy for the members of the Federation.

The FCS takes a neutral stance regarding British membership of the European Union. Options debated include CANZUK being an alternative to the E.U. for Britain or the whole federation taking Britain’s place.

The FCS supports Federation membership of free trade areas such as EEA, NAFTA and ASEAN.

Monarchism and Republicanism
The FCS is neutral on the issue of the monarchy. Members are both monarchist, seeing Queen Elizabeth II not only as sovereign of CANZUK countries, but also as a symbol of the common heritage, institutions and culture that make the Federation appealing, and republican, who express the belief that a republican Federation would be more attractive to many citizens of particularly Australia and New Zealand.

Economics
The FCS believes that the Federation could either be part of the European Union or have membership of EFTA and would continue to be a member of NAFTA and would incorporate ANZCERTA. Proposals for a common Federal Commonwealth currency have been considered and would probably be the Pound Sterling. Although a currency from one of the other members could be used, or a completely new one could be created.

Trade
The FCS wishes to establish free trade, freedom of movement and reciprocal citizenship right among the CANZUK countries along the line of the economies of New Zealand and Australia ANZCERTA), which the FCS believes could be extended to include Canada and the UK.

Federation Name
FCS members have suggested a number of names for the proposed Federation, but the most favoured ones are the United Kingdoms of the Commonwealth or United Commonwealths.

Federation Flag
Various proposals for a Federation flag have also been suggested. These include the present Commonwealth flag, the Union Jack and various designs involving the North Star and the Southern Cross. Existing national flags would continue to fly alongside it.

Image:Suggested_Designs_for_FC_Flag.gif

Federation Capital City
Most members suggest London, United Kingdom to be the new capital city of the Federation, usually because of its economic, cultural, and historical importance and large size.

Other choices include Ottawa and Canberra. Alternatively, a system such as in the Netherlands may be employed, whereby there is more than one capital city, each one responsible for different aspects of the governments.

Government Structure
The FCS proposes that a new federal structure be created, responsible for foreign affairs, defence and trade, with a directly elected lower house and an upper house that represents the provinces, regions and states. National governments would retain all other responsibilities. Lower levels of government may be given greater autonomy than they currently possess, with many powers from the national governments being passed to the provincial level.

Current Membership
At present, below one hundred. A breakdown by country is shown below:

Australia		 4 Bahamas		         1 Canada		        16 India		         1 Ireland		         1 Malaysia		 1 New Zealand		 1 Sweden		         1 United Kingdom	        42 United States Of America 5