Balfour's later declaration described the communities of the British Empire as equal in status in domestic and external affairs. Common allegiance to the crown accompanied their free association in the Commonwealth. In this account, that arrangement offered a means of preserving cooperation while moving away from Britain bearing the costs alone. Shared defence and protection of trade required the participating governments to support common interests with resources of their own. Balfour's imperial connections and work on defence help explain his place in the Washington delegation.
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Balfour's Commonwealth and shared defence costs
The 1926 Balfour Declaration explains the model of equal, freely associated communities behind an argument for sharing imperial responsibilities.