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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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dominion status
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A concept devised in 1867 to express the new identity of *Canada, independent but retaining certain links with Britain. Other countries also called dominions for a certain period were New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Ireland (as the Irish Free State, from 1921) and Newfoundland (prior to its becoming part of Canada in 1949).
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Dominion status was never precisely defined, but in 1921 Lloyd George identified three characteristics of a dominion: it shared with Britain an allegiance to the monarch; it was equal with Britain, not being subordinate in any aspect of internal or external affairs; and it was freely associated, like Britain, with the *Commonwealth of Nations. These ideas were more formally enshrined in the Statute of Westminster (1931). The concept later became irrelevant, as the Commonwealth adjusted to include republics with their own national head of state.
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