Since their inception in 1930 as the British Empire Games, the Commonwealth Games have developed into one of the world's major sporting mega-events, with 5,000 athletes competing in Glasgow 2014 representing countries covering one third of the world's population. This is the first book to survey the entire history of the Commonwealth Games and to explore their significance in the context of sporting political history. It examines the relationship between the Games and the Commonwealth organisation more generally; evaluates the development of the Games themselves, and analyses the key issues which have shaped their political and historical development.