Britain had begun moving from direct imperial rule toward dominions and a Commonwealth before the financial exhaustion of the Second World War. The intended system would preserve a British-led free-trade and defence area while reducing the need for garrisons, governors, and colonial administration. Wartime losses could accelerate that transition without being its sole cause. This separates the cost of formal rule from the wider economic and strategic relationships Britain hoped to retain.
Notable Point · 40:03-40:34
The Commonwealth model reduced the cost of direct imperial rule
Britain's shift toward dominions and a Commonwealth offered continued economic and strategic influence without paying for direct administration everywhere.