It’s not only the common interests
in the field of modernization and economic development that have made
possible the strengthening of relations between Brazil, Russia, India,
China and South Africa (since 2010) in recent years. It’s rather common
foreign policy approaches, that by and large coincide, that bring these
countries together. The political coordination within the BRICS framework is the major driving force of
transformation from unipolar to multipolar world.
***
In 2001 Jim O'Neal, leading analyst in "Goldman Sachs” investment bank,
came out with the thesis that global economic integration is to form a
new potential union including Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC).
The assessment was based on macroeconomic data of some rapidly
developing economies, especially taking into account demography, GDP
growth and availability of strategic natural resources. He made a
conclusion that most likely these countries will dominate in the XXI
century. Indeed, the tendency to strengthen their global geopolitical
status was evident in the first dozen of years of the century. Some of
them, especially Brazil, India and China tried to bolster their
independence in the world giving priority to regional and global level
commercial and economic agreements. No doubt the rapid GDP growth of
these countries-continents is what the coming new world order is based
on.
In just a few years this geoeconomic association developed from an
analytical hypothesis into a real global actor. The BRICS agenda started
to include all major issues of global economy and global economic
development in general: from climate change to currency baskets or
modernization, innovation based progress, production safety. Besides the
BRICS members started to timely and resolutely speak out on “hot”
spots” situations and emerging international conflicts. For instance, in
2011 many a time they spoke against the aggression in Libya and
international isolation of Syria. They voted for the recognition of
Palestine within the framework of UNESCO, they demanded the UN Security
Council to be reformed.
The cooperation within the BRICS group was strengthened as South Africa
joined in 2010. It is becoming all the more “political” tinted and
starts to influence the world power balance. No doubt the very fact of
creating the “club” of these big states has expedited the transformation
of multipolar world order.
The BRICS phenomenon appears to corroborate the hypothesis that views
Latin America and Eurasia as major driving forces in the process of the
new global order taking shape. Geographically the coordination inside
BRICS is actually a diagonal axis (the East of North hemisphere –
Eurasia – the Western part of South hemisphere – Latin America). It
could be said it’s “asymmetric” towards the trajectories: “West-East” or
“North – South”. The axis “North – East – South – East” is based on
three geopolitical “nuclei” – Eurasia, the peak of South Africa and
Brazil – in the midterm and long term perspective it is going to squeeze
out the strategic influence of the Western order headed by the United
States.
BRICS may come with a coordinated response (at diplomatic and economic
level as yet) to the Euro-Atlantic forces expansion from the
Mediterranean to Central Asia. It’s even more imperative to do taking
into consideration that the pressure exerted by the USA upon
Europe-Africa-Asia in recent dozen of years has acquired an obvious
military tint. The militarization of the US foreign policy initiated by
different administrations from Bush, Sr to Obama is the geopolitical
substance of the Western system’s geopolitical methods aimed at
fragmentation of separate strategic regions – the Middle East, North
Africa etc.
There is a certain disbalance inside BRICS at the diplomatic, economic
and military level in favor of Europe. It opens at least two possible
development prospects. The first is emergence of tension inside BRICS.
Brazil and South Africa may return under the US “wing”. Second, a more
realistic one, the disbalance may serve as a basis for boosting the
process of continental integration of South America with Brazil,
Argentina and Venezuela at the heart of it. The implementation of the
second scenario would cement the multipolar pattern of world order.
The assessment of the BRICS influence within the framework of
microsystem confirms the righteousness of Paolo Borba Casella, Professor
of Law. Head of International Law chair, Law Faculty of São Paulo
University (Brasil). He thinks it’s an innovative, independent and
original model of international cooperation that is emerging.
Demonstrating respect towards cultural and historic originality of the
member states, BRICS open new prospects in comparison with such
international organizations as the United Nations, the World Bank, the
International Monetary Fund that as is known are based on the principles
of individualism and profit, worked out by the Western mentality.
A lot of things bring the BRICS states together - it’s not economy
only, but also common interest in the concept of international relations
based on cultural substratum, the respect towards various
ethno-cultural communities making up the population of the respective
states.
The new prospects emerging thanks to the BRICS international
cooperation pattern may become an alternative to the Anglo-Saxon “global
governance” model. It’s quite possible the new pattern may be a
harbinger of reshape (if not the end) of the UN as well as the decline
and inevitable restructurization of such international bodies as IMF,
World Bank and WTO.
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