Since the early 20th century, the term has been used to name some fraternal associations of states, most notably the Commonwealth of Nations, an organisation primarily of former territories of the British Empire. Three countries – Australia, the Bahamas, and Dominica – have the official title "Commonwealth", as do four U.S.
The term evolved to become a title to a number of political entities. In the 17th century, the definition of "commonwealth" expanded from its original sense of " public welfare" or " commonweal" to mean "a state in which the supreme power is vested in the people a republic or democratic state".
The term literally meant "common well-being". Originally a phrase (the common-wealth or the common wealth – echoed in the modern synonym "public wealth"), it comes from the old meaning of " wealth", which is "well-being", and is itself a loose translation of the Latin res publica (republic). The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Historically, it has been synonymous with " republic". JSTOR ( July 2020) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message)Ī commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good.Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. This article needs additional citations for verification.
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