The term “Commonwealth” breaks down into two basic components to understand its meaning. The “common” portion refers to the people or to the public. Meanwhile, “wealth” refers to well being or welfare. So commonwealth is a system of government that performs in the interests and well being of the people. It exists through their consent rather than for the narrow self interests of a few. This became an underlying principal of several English colonies as they started to assert their independence. Eventually they form what would become the United States of America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A large preponderance of the now fifty United States do indeed call themselves “states.” However, four of the earlier ones hearken back to those fading memories of colonial times. They chose to differentiate themselves by calling themselves “commonwealths.” As a practical matter it’s semantic and they operate no differently than the other forty-six. Nonetheless it’s an interesting anachronism and distinction. Those four commonwealths are Virginia, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Kentucky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n