Gradeup Magazine: Let's Talk Politics #17

By N Shiva Guru|Updated : December 3rd, 2016

Q: If Australia wanted to declare independence from England what would happen, would there be a war?

Australia is completely independent from England. Queen Elizabeth is just a nominal head of the state. As long as the British crown keeps up the nominal appearance, it is all fine. If a monarch tries to get real power, it will be messy. Before the Australians react, the British public would already be fighting. The last time the public fought an English monarch, the monarch ended up losing his head. Not good.

Everyone agrees that the decision is left only to the Australian public. They already had a referendum in 1999 and the monarchists narrowly won. Australian republic referendum, 1999 - The reason was not so much love of the Queen, but disagreement in how the President will be chosen and what his/her powers might be. That said, if Charles were the monarch instead of Elizabeth, the republicans might have won though.

In short, the question is not whether Australia is independent. The question is whether she will become a republic or not. If the republican groups really unite unlike the last time and go for a referendum, it might be possible.

Q: Can we ever see the entire South Asia united as one country?

There is no incentive for anyone to do this.

For Indians, there is hardly any benefit in dragging a group of poorer nations with different cultures into ours. If we are going to capture some random country in our region with culture similar to ours, let me call dibs on Singapore. Ok, that doesn’t work. Indian leaders have done a fine job integrating the nation since 1947 and adding large populations of outside cultures threatens to undo all that hard work. There is not much fun in bringing dozens of new headaches to the nation.

For the other south Asians, there is not as much benefit from being dragged by a large, poor nation only slightly more richer than them. Their culture would be diluted and they would have to get used to a different political system.

Our neighboring nations are like relatives. Its not like we don’t love them, just that we don’t prefer living with them in the same house. Interact with them, host them, trade with them, but at the end of the day we each go to our own homes.

South Asia needs a free trade zone and easy movement of goods and money. Maybe even visa-free movement for tourists and business people. But, not some lame political integration that doesn’t benefit anyone.

(The author is Mr.Balaji Vishwanathan, a Top Writer from Quora)

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