1952 Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Economic Conference facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 1952 Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Economic Conference
Photoshoot during the conference
Host country	United Kingdom
Dates	28 November–12 December 1952
Cities	London
Participants	8
Chair	Winston Churchill (Prime Minister)
Follows	1951
Precedes	1953
Key points
Commonwealth trade, imperial preference, Sterling area, ANZUS Treaty, Royal Styles and Titles, Head of the Commonwealth

The 1952 Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Economic Conference was an important meeting of leaders from countries in the British Commonwealth. It was called by the British government, led by Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill. The meeting took place in London, United Kingdom, from November 28 to December 12, 1952.

This conference happened because Britain was facing some tough times with its economy and military strength. At the same time, the United States was becoming a very powerful country in the world. The leaders met to talk about big issues affecting their countries and the Commonwealth.

Commonwealth Meeting in 1952

The main goal of the 1952 meeting was to discuss money and trade. The leaders also talked about a military treaty and the new Queen's titles.

Talking About Money

A big topic was how easily British money (the Pound sterling) could be swapped for American dollars. Britain was worried that some Commonwealth countries were saving up British pounds just to turn them into American dollars. They also discussed the future of the Sterling area, which was a group of countries that used the Pound sterling for trade.

The leaders also wanted to make trade easier between Commonwealth countries. They looked at "imperial preference", which were special trade rules that favored countries within the British Empire. This was important because the American economy was growing fast. Countries like Australia wanted American businesses to invest in their development. Britain, however, was concerned that America's growing power might hurt Britain's own economy.

Most Commonwealth countries, except for Canada, shared a common pool of gold and dollar reserves. This made the money discussions very important for everyone. In the end, they didn't agree on many specific economic plans. The final statement was described as just "general statements" rather than clear actions.

A Treaty for Safety

Another important topic was the ANZUS military treaty. This treaty was an agreement for defense between Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. Britain was worried about being left out of this important defense agreement.

The prime ministers at the conference released a statement together. They supported Britain's request to have a say in the ANZUS treaty. This showed that the Commonwealth leaders stood together on important security matters.

The Queen's New Titles

The leaders also talked about Queen Elizabeth II, who had just become queen. For months, they had discussed whether she should have the same Royal Styles and Titles in all Commonwealth countries. Or, should each country be able to choose its own titles for her?

They finally agreed that each Commonwealth country "should use for its own purposes a form of the Royal Style and Titles which suits its own particular circumstances but retains a substantial element which is common to all." This meant each country could have a unique title for the Queen, but it would still include a part that was the same everywhere. They also agreed to pass laws in their own countries to make this official.

The prime ministers also announced that Queen Elizabeth II would become the Head of the Commonwealth. She took over this role from her late father, King George VI.

Who Was There?

Here are the leaders who attended the 1952 Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Economic Conference:

Nation	Name	Role
United Kingdom	Winston Churchill	Prime Minister (Chairman)
Australia	Robert Menzies	Prime Minister
Ceylon	Dudley Senanayake	Prime Minister
India	Sir Chintaman Deshmukh	Finance Minister
New Zealand	Sidney Holland	Prime Minister
Pakistan	Sir Khawaja Nazimuddin	Prime Minister
Southern Rhodesia	Sir Godfrey Huggins	Prime Minister
South Africa	Nicolaas Havenga	Finance Minister