Abstract The 1971 Immigration Act constitutes the most important piece of legislation for the regulation of immigration to Britain. Many assume that the Act was simply a further extension of the restrictive measures established over the post-war period to end non-white immigration. Based on original archival material, I argue that the Act was established in reaction to the dilemma the government faced as a result of joining the European Economic Community and the free movement of workers against Commonwealth migrants. The Act represents the final dismantling of universal Commonwealth citizenship and, in this sense, a definitive acceptance of the end of the Empire.

中文翻译：

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社区与联邦：重新评估 1971 年移民法

摘要 1971 年的《移民法》是监管英国移民的最重要立法。许多人认为该法案只是对战后为终止非白人移民而制定的限制性措施的进一步扩展。根据原始档案材料，我认为该法案的制定是为了应对政府因加入欧洲经济共同体和工人自由流动反对英联邦移民而面临的困境。该法案代表了普遍的英联邦公民身份的最终解体，从这个意义上说，是对帝国终结的明确接受。