Definition of high commission

The term "high commission" originated during the 16th and 17th centuries, when European powers established colonies in Africa and the Americas. These colonies were often very far away from the mother country, making governance and administration challenging. To address this, some powers created high commissions, which were semi-autonomous administrative bodies with wide-ranging powers in the colonies. A high commissioner, appointed by the crown, was in charge of the high commission, responsible for overseeing the affairs of the colony, and representing the monarch's interests. The term "high" refers to the high commissioner's high status, who ranked higher than a governor or a lieutenant governor, as the high commissioner was directly appointed by the monarch. The power of the high commissions declined as colonial power structures changed, and many high commissions were abolished as a result of the growth of self-governing colonies, leading to greater autonomy. Today, the term "high commission" is still used to refer to certain administrative bodies. For example, in the British Empire, a high commission represents a dominion (self-governing colony) in another country that also belongs to the Commonwealth of Nations. The high commissioner is appointed by the dominion's government and attends meetings of the Commonwealth's governing bodies. In summary, the term "high commission" originated from colonial times, when it was used to refer to a semi-autonomous administrative body with wide-ranging powers in distant colonies, headed by a high-ranking official appointed by the monarch. Its use has evolved to represent administrative bodies in modern times, specifically in the context of representing a dominion in foreign locations.