73 • Conjuntura Internacional • Belo Horizonte,
ISSN 1809-6182, v.17 n.2, p.73 - 84, dez. 2020
Artigo
An approach of historical and
economic BRICS creation in South-South
Cooperation resurgence landmark in the
twenty-first century
Una aproximación histórica y económica de la creación de los BRICS en el marco del
resurgimiento de la Cooperación Sur-Sur en el siglo XXI
Uma abordagem histórica-econômica da criação do BRICS no marco do ressurgimento
da Cooperação Sul-Sul no século XXI
Gabriel Galdino1
DOI: 10.5752/P.1809-6182.2020v17n3p73
Received in: June 03, 2020
Accepted in: November 02, 2020
Abstract
In the history of international relations, the association between developing countries
occurred on a reduced scale until the mid-twentieth century. Tis article takes a historical
and economic approach about the formation of the movements characterized as South-
South Cooperation, including the emergence of the BRICS in the 21st century.
Keywords: BRICS. Economic Development. International Relations. South-South Coo-
peration.
Resumen
En la historia de las relaciones internacionales, la asociación entre países en desarrollo se
produjo en una escala reducida hasta mediados del siglo XX. Este artículo tiene un enfo-
que histórico y económico sobre la formación de los movimientos de Cooperación Sur-Sur,
incluyendo el surgimiento de los BRICS.
Palabras clave: Cooperación Sur-Sur. BRICS. Desarrollo Economico. Relaciones Interna-
cionales.
Resumo
Na história das relações internacionais, a associação entre os países em desenvolvimento
se deu em escala reduzida até a metade do século XX. Esse trabalho se insere numa abor-
dagem histórica e econômica acerca da formação dos movimentos caracterizados como de
Cooperação Sul-Sul, compreendendo o surgimento do BRICS no século XXI.
Palavras-chave: Cooperação Sul-Sul. BRICS. Desenvolvimento Econômico. Relações
Internacionais.
1 Master’s Degree student (Postgraduate studies in Latin American Integration - PROLAM). University of São Paulo (USP): São
Paulo, Brazil. ORCID iD: 0000-0003-0196-016. Email: galdinogabriel@usp.br
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Introduction
mechanisms for technical and economic
cooperation.
From the perspective of the internatio-
However, the emergence of neoliberalism
nal economy, it is clear that the different cou-
as a reaction of the United States to the inter-
ntries have been connected by a financial sys-
national economic crisis of the 1970s destabi-
tem2 that has been restructuring over time,
lizes this attempt to change the world status
to the detriment of the prevailing economic
quo. Reflecting neoliberal policies in deve-
ideals among the major economies. Te in-
loping countries, the economic recession of
ternational system, by this bias, implies the
the 1990s contextualizes the period in which
concentration and maintenance of the inte-
the process of consolidation of South-South
rests of central regions to the detriment of
Cooperation is stagnant. In the early 2000s,
peripheral regions, with minimal participa-
once the perception of these countries chan-
tion of the latter in the production of world
ged with the parsimony of neoliberal deve-
changes. For this, it can be seen that histo-
lopment policies, along with the rise of pro-
rically the relations between the “developing
gressive governments, the return of criticism
countries” occurred on a small scale until the
of asymmetric globalization, and the focus of
middle of the twentieth century.
economic growth in countries such as China,
From this period, what is called Sou-
Brazil, India and Russia show a new scenario
th-South Cooperation arises from the re-
of strengthening South-South relations and
flection of the interactions between these
the emergence of coalitions of countries with
peripheral countries, which demanded poli-
emphasis on development cooperation.
cies of economic and social equity after the
Terefore, this article has as its general
Second World War. Tus, a critical view of
objective to provide a theoretical and histo-
these nations in relation to the marginaliza-
rical approach to the international panorama
tion of their economies within the world po-
in which the Tird World conforms, its decli-
litical-economic system is evident. Tis pers-
ne and the emergence of the BRICS. Using
pective has crystallized into the creation of a
the qualitative analysis method with primary
development agenda within the UN through
and secondary data, a linear analysis of the
the United Nations Conference on Trade
three conformation periods of South-South
and Development (UNCTAD)3, driven by
Cooperation is evidenced. Trough a pers-
a series of events and conferences that con-
pective of the international economy in whi-
verge in the formulation of multilateral
ch it is proposed to characterize the economic
asymmetry and its imposition by liberal and
neoliberal currents. Tis will be complemen-
2 According to Eichengreen (2002), this system is established
with the purpose of giving order and stability to foreign ex-
ted by Uneven and Combined Development
change markets, promoting the elimination of balance of
(or unequal and combined development or
payments problems and stimulating access to international
credit in crisis situations.
uneven development) which explains how
3 In the context of the Bandung Conference in the early
the economies of developing countries and
1960s, after the Cairo Conference on “Problems of Eco-
those of developed countries integrate.
nomic Development”, the United Nations Conference on
Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is created.
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The international economic
pment process of capitalism in Russia from a
asymmetry: the theory of
perspective of socioeconomic inequality. After
unequal and combined
the Revolution of 1905, influenced by Trotsky
development and the
(1932), the term takes on a more precise mea-
emergency of the third world
ning and is referred to as uneven and combi-
ned development, referring to political issues
According to Amin (2004), the United
beyond the economic dimension.
States (USA) after World War II was already in
Tus, the theory of uneven and combined
a privileged position to exercise its economic
development is an attempt to understand the
hegemony in the international scenario. After
capitalist transformations of the international
World War II, during the Cold War, the capi-
scenario, and by attempting to respond to their
talist economy experienced its “golden age” un-
economic and social contradictions, specifi-
der US hegemony among the other economic
cally of peripheral countries. With the rise of
powers. In line with Fiori (2004), international
capitalism as an international economic sys-
regimes and institutions formed the basis for a
tem, world history becomes contradictory and
global management under the tutelage of the
therefore the conditions of economic and so-
United States, so this period of “world hege-
cial development undergo a qualitative change
mony” lasts for two decades until accentuating
(LÖWY, 1995).
bipolarity in the international scenario.
Te laws of history have nothing in common
Te international system of this time, in its
with a pedantic schematism. Unevenness,
economic aspect, was characterized by a polari-
the most general law of the historic process,
zation, which was inherent in the process of ca-
reveals itself most sharply and complexly in
the destiny of the backward countries. Under
pitalist globalization itself. In this sense, world
the whip of external necessity their backward
capitalism was the engine of this polarization,
culture is compelled to make leaps. From
generating the uneven development that is con-
the universal law of unevenness thus derives
sidered one of its insurmountable contradic-
another law which, for the lack of a better
name, we may call the law of combined deve-
tions in view of its logic of constituting a true
lopment - by which we mean a drawing to-
global market. Accumulation and expropriation
gether of the different stages of the journey, a
are pertinent to this process (AMIN, 2009).
combining of the separate steps, an amalgam
of archaic with more contemporary forms.
‘Really existing’ historical capitalism is asso-
Without this law, to be taken of course, in
ciated with successive forms of accumulation
its whole material content, it is impossible to
by dispossession, not only at the origin (‘pri-
understand the history of Russia, and indeed
mitive accumulation’) but at all stages of its
of any country of the second, third or tenth
deployment. Once constituted, this ‘Atlantic’
cultural class. (TROTSKY, 1932, p. 15-16).
capitalism set out to conquer the world and
reshape it on the basis of the continuing dis-
It is understood, therefore, that the least
possession of the conquered regions, thereby
developed countries are constrained to adopt
becoming the dominated peripheries of the
system. (AMIN, 2009, p. 1).
certain advanced features of the capitalist sys-
tem of production, and intermediate stages of
Te notion of unequal development has a
development are skipped. Tese countries have
remote origin, according to Teis (2009). Le-
development through an original combination
nin coined the term by analyzing the develo-
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of the various forms of production that give
international Cold War scenario leads the pros-
rise to irregularities and complexities in their
pect of uneven and combined development to
economic formation.
spread and then be used to analyze the econo-
In this context, the Soviet Union as an
mic insertion of the other peripheral countries,
important economic and political power in the
called at that time the Tird World.
Figura 1 - The Third World (1952)
Fonte: University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (UWEC, 2016).
As an expression that spread during the
an imprecise collection of states in the second
half of the twentieth century and some of the
Cold War period and is related to this logic of
common problems that they faced. Not even
asymmetric globalization, the Tird World, a
enthusiasts for the term provided any preci-
term coined by the French demographer Alfred
sion. (TOMLINSON, 2003, p. 307).
Sauvy (1952), referred to countries that were not
In the Cold War environment, Tird
part of the select group of developed capitalist
World Asian and African countries have chal-
economies. (First World) and neither of the for-
lenged the bipolar structure in order to find an
mer socialist countries (Second World). After the
alternative to solving their political and econo-
Cold War, however, classifications such as “de-
mic problems without necessarily being linked
veloping countries”, “emerging countries”, “sou-
to the ideology of capitalism or socialism. Tis
thern countries” are then commonly employed
movement culminates then at the Bandung
in view of the vagueness of the term Tird World
Conference in 1955. In order to discuss the
in explaining aspects of contemporary reality.
future of countries in the process of decolo-
Te term “Tird World” was used frequently
nization, the Bandung Conference highlights
in histories of the societies, economies and cul-
the issue of development as a theme for inter-
tures of many parts of the world in the second
half of the twentieth century. But, although
national politics, leaving aside the East-West
the phrase was widely used, it was never clear
Cold War focus (KOCHER, 2008). Terefore,
whether it was a clear category of analysis or
a new moment of world history is inaugurated
simply convenient and rather vague label for
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as the developing countries start to organize
South-South cooperation is a manifestation
of solidarity among peoples and countries
themselves in terms of common principles and
of the South that contributes to their natio-
ideas that were the foundation for the formu-
nal well-being, their national and collective
lation of their strategies for the development of
self-reliance and the attainment of inter-
South-South relations.
nationally agreed development goals
[...]
(UNOSSC, 2016, s/p).
Consequently, Bandung promote the
North-South debate that represented the di-
Preludes of South-South Cooperation,
vision between industrialized countries and
with the development of Bandung’s “neutra-
primary product exporting countries, bringing
list” ideal by peripheral countries, results in the
together African and Asian states to defend an
“Non-Aligned Movement” and, subsequently,
alternative system to bipolarity, thus sowing
with the accession of Latin American coun-
a proposal that would in future be conceived
tries in Group 77 United Nations Conference
as multipolarity. Initially, according to Amin
on Trade and Development. Te Tird World
(2010), India and China were the countries
ensemble that formed a new alliance of the
that led this Southern movement. However,
South, the “Global South”.
this third-world leadership role by China and
Providing mechanisms for the countries
India underwent profound changes in the
of the South to articulate and promote their
1970s, as the international economic crisis and
economic interests was the main objective of
friction between US and USSR now influence
the G-77. It was then aimed within the United
foreign policy in developing countries.
Nations to establish joint negotiating capacity.
Tus, the creation of the G-77 in 1964 repre-
sents the capacity for influence and political
Preludes of South-South
weight that “developing countries would exer-
Cooperation: consolidation of
cise at the UN level, pushing for a new interna-
a Third World agenda
tional economic order that was more just and
Te thought that developing countries
egalitarian” (PEREIRA; MEDEIROS, 2015, p.
identify certain common interests and problems
10). Henceforth the emergence of the UN-lin-
and articulate themselves in order to solve them,
ked G-77 is the 1967 Algerian Charter, which
according to Lima (2005), is the essential no-
becomes a symbol of the group’s claim to mi-
tion of the concept of South-South Coopera-
tigate economic inequality between countries.
tion (SSC). Tat is, these countries choose to
In the third part of the letter the group makes
cooperate with each other in order to mitigate
clear that this inequality is the responsibility of
the asymmetrical distribution of power and the-
the entire international community:
reby achieve economic development on an au-
Te international community has an obliga-
tonomous basis, undermining any form of de-
tion to rectify these unfavorable trends and to
create conditions under which all nations can
pendency. Acting in isolation, these states would
enjoy economic and social well-being, and
end up with less satisfactory results compared to
have the means to develop their respective
their political cooperation and coordination. In
resources to enable their peoples to lead a life
this sense, SSC becomes an important element
free from want and fear. In a world of increa-
sing interdependence, peace, progress and
of international development cooperation.
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freedom are common and indivisible. Conse-
according to Wallerstein (2004), began to show
quently, the development of developing cou-
signs of decline due to its inflationary crisis, the
ntries will benefit the developed countries as
Vietnam War, and the first oil shock, thus ex-
well. Developing countries reiterate that the
primary responsibility for their development
posing the limits. of US power5. Outside the
rests on them. Developing countries are de-
UN, established in 1961, the Kuwait Fund for
termined to contribute to one another’s deve-
Arab Economic Development was the first of
lopment. (GROUP OF 77, 1967, s/p).
its kind created by a developing country.
According to Amin (2009; 2010), there
Tus, in 1970, the Islamic Development
was strong resistance from the Western powers
Bank and the Arab Bank for Economic Deve-
against this non-alignment movement and
lopment would be created. Tese initiatives, in
its project of “development ideology”4 due to
terms of financial cooperation in Africa and the
a scenario of global economic crisis that was
Middle East, are at the center of what was the
already unfolding since the late 1960s. From
first oil shock in 1974. Essential to this, the crea-
then on, a deep and widespread crisis of the
tion of the Organization of Petroleum Produ-
current model of capitalist accumulation is
cing and Exporting Countries (OPEC) It is seen
perceived. Tis economic recession crystalli-
as an expression of South-South Cooperation of
zes in the rising structural unemployment of
collective bargaining from the South to indus-
the welfare society, the Keynesian model of the
trialized countries (LEITE, 2012). It is impor-
state, as a driver of the economy and the resha-
tant to note that the price increase was beneficial
ping of work organization techniques.
for some Tird World countries, given the trans-
In short, the economic and financial cri-
fer of large revenues by oil producing countries
sis of 1970 sparks the end of the conversion
as a way of lending to low income countries.
of the dollar-gold parity, the inefficiency of the
In this context, the member countries of
Fordist model, the growing functioning of the
the Non-Aligned Movement in 1973 present
parallel financial market that bypassed national
the Algiers Charter, in which they oppose any
regulations, the volatility of paper capitalism.
conflicts with regard to Tird World regions.
government bonds, foreign exchange) and,
Tat said, in relation to the Southeast Asian
mainly, with the breakdown and liquidation of
region, the Charter celebrates the Paris Ac-
the Bretton Woods System.
cords which it considers a victory for the peo-
Following a period of uncertainty in the
international monetary system, US hegemony,
5 One of the greatest military defeats in the United States, the
Vietnam War, began periods earlier with logistical support
4
“Ideology of Development” is defined by the following
and founding given to the French in the 1950s. Tis involve-
elements: 1) the desire to develop productive forces, to di-
ment is explained by the USA’s need for permanent expansion
versify production, i.e. industrializing; 2) the desire to assure
of their world hegemonic power, and by the rejection any
the national state the direction and control of the process;
type of regional threat (FIORI, 2004). However, the defeat
3) the certainty that “technical” models constitute “neutral”
in Vietnam did not just mean “a military defeat, or a stain of
data that can only be reproduced by mastering them; 4) the
the United States’ prestige. Te war dealt a severe blow to the
certainty that the process does not imply a popular initiative,
United States’ ability to continue to be the world’s dominant
but only its support for state actions; 5) the certainty that the
economic power” (WALLERSTEIN, 2004, p. 26). Costs
process is not fundamentally contradictory to participation in
were high, and the conflict depleted American gold reserves,
the changes at the center of the world capitalist system, even
leading to a scenario in which Western Europe and Japan
if it provokes momentary conflicts with it (AMIN, 2010).
were experiencing strong economic upturns.
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ple of Vietnam, condemning US interference
tral role in the global strategy of transnational
and inviting other nations to help rebuild
corporations until it became the ‘factory of the
the Vietnamese state. Tereafter, there is the
world’ (CISEKI, 2012, p. 72). As a reaction
1973 Algiers Conference which establishes,
to this approach, the USSR sought to achieve
one year later, the Declaration of Establish-
its influence in the Tird World by unleashing
ment of a New World Economic Order by
fourteen revolutions or sudden regime changes
the General Assembly.
in just a decade, all unfavorable to the US that
Te Declaration of the Establishment of a
would widen the strategic imbalance (WAL-
New World Economic Order, as a set of propo-
LERSTEIN, 2004).
sals mainly from Tird World countries, had as
However, it is clear that in addition to
its main objective to expand UN institutions to
the global economic crisis and the tension of
developing countries and also to achieve reform
the Cold War, the 1970s were marked by the
in the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
consolidation and establishment of an agenda
Ten begins the theoretical development of the
on the periphery and “[...] the international
concept of South-South Cooperation, to later
insertion of a third bloc in the international
institutionalize it within the Organization. Te
order of the Cold War, contributing to the
evolution of relations between developing cou-
decline of North American hegemony” (PE-
ntries is becoming increasingly institutionali-
REIRA, MEDEIROS, 2015, p. 16). As a
zed by the UN, thus mechanisms such as the
political force on the world stage, the Tird
Non-Aligned Movement become only forums
World expressed itself through the Movement
for dialogues and ideological manifestations.
of Non-Aligned Countries and the UN. Te
On the other hand, with the end of the
performance of specialized organisms in the
trade embargo on China and its acceptance
socioeconomic, cultural and health area lin-
with the United Nations, China’s export-o-
ked to the United Nations Development
riented growth model is emerging on the in-
Program (UNDP) - of great importance for
ternational stage. Following the defeat in the
developing countries - started to cease to re-
Vietnam War, the United States decided to
present a support for the policy of the Uni-
approach China by applying to China the same
ted States (VISENTINI, PEREIRA, 2012).
“development by invitation” strategy offered to
In 1978, a meeting was held in Argentina
Germany, Japan, and South Korea. Te weak-
through UNCTAD between 138 countries
nesses faced by those in the 1970s, these were
that strengthened the concept of South-South
crucial conditions that favored their approach,
Cooperation, culminating in a Plan of Action
known as “ping pong diplomacy” due to the
of Buenos Aires (PABA). In this document,
use of sport to resume communication bet-
the term “horizontal cooperation” stands out
ween the two nations (CARVALHO; CATER-
with regard to technical cooperation between
MOL, 2015).
developing countries. Brazil is then designa-
However, this rapprochement was due to
ted as responsible for promoting the expan-
the US interest in strengthening its global he-
sion of this activity, which at first became an
gemony, affected by the political and economic
important foreign policy and international
crises. Tat said, China gradually took a cen-
projection tool (UNOSSC, 2016).
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Neoliberal crisis and the
cessive state growth, translated into protectio-
recovery of developing
nism (the import substitution model), deficit
economies: the scenario
growth public, excess of state-owned enterpri-
of the resurgence of South-
ses, among other aspects corresponding to the
South Cooperation and BRICS
developmental model present in that group of
conform
countries, would be the causes of the econo-
mic stagnation that plagued those nations in
In the face of the rise of a Southern cul-
the 1980s. Santos (1999) describes that with
ture, and especially its economic recession, the
no alternatives and in the context of the end of
United States has as a conservative reaction the
the Cold War with the imminence of possible
promotion of neoliberalism as an economic
US unipolarity, neoliberalism began to rise as
and political doctrine, shaped by a new inter-
economic and political doctrine in many deve-
national strategy to maintain its global hege-
loping nations.
mony. Te American neoliberals, represented
It is understood that the political and
by President Reagan (1980-1988), aimed to
economic prescriptions issued by the United
stop hyperinflation, in addition to the state cri-
States, as referred to in the Washington Con-
sis produced by Fordism and interventionism.
sensus, were enforced in developing nations
To this end, they accused the excessive power
internationally through the use of IMF and
of the unions, workers’ movements and state
World Bank credit conditions and structural
social spending as responsible for triggering
adjustment packages. Most nations that follo-
this recession. In political terms, there is the
wed the advice of the IMF have experienced
emergence of a more radical liberalism, under
profound economic crises, with rising foreign
the guise of neoliberalism (FIORI, 2004).
debt and economic stagnation that perpetua-
Te 1980s were marked by the expansion
ted systemic poverty (BEDER, 2009).
of neoliberalism to other western capitalist
In addition to this economic conjuncture,
nations. Market deregulation, privatization of
during the 1980s, peripheral countries faced an
domestic companies, and increased internatio-
obstacle to the promotion of collective action.
nal competitiveness immediately became the
Tus, the heterogeneity of the group is reflec-
overriding objectives of the economic policies
ted in the lack of consonance of external action
adopted by these countries.
of some countries, regarding the support to the
Given this, Tird World countries are
consolidation of an international agenda of de-
politically pressured to adopt neoliberal doc-
veloping countries. Tat said, semiperipheral
trine. Tis pressure on Tird World countries
countries such as China, India, and Brazil began
is marked by the 1988 Washington Consen-
to operate within the bipolar logic of the Cold
sus, which sought to guide peripheral gover-
War, moving away from the idea of positioning
nments to adopt neoliberal economic reforms
themselves as Tird World leaders. China, by
to the detriment of their large debts and eco-
establishing an alliance with the United States
nomic downturn. According to Bresser-Pereira
in order to promote the growth of its economy,
(1991), Washington’s approach to Tird World
then contributes to the US venture by counte-
countries, notably Latin America, was that ex-
racting the power of the Soviet Union.
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Furthermore, even with the advances at
(USSR) ended up being influenced by neolibe-
the multilateral level of technical and econo-
ral doctrine. From then on, in the late 1980s
mic cooperation, at that time, limitations re-
and early 1990s, the Cold War ended with the
mained associated to the effectiveness of Sou-
dissolution of the USSR and the fall of the
th-South Cooperation to become a strategy to
Berlin Wall (1991) (SANTOS, 1999; VISEN-
redefine the international division of labor and
TINI; PEREIRA, 2012). Te existence of the
industrialization. Physical, technological, ins-
Tird World movement becomes questionable
titutional and financial barriers were also im-
since its search for autonomy in the face of bi-
pediments for these Tird World countries to
polar dispute, a central issue of the Tird World
meet mutual demands for intermediate and ca-
concept, ceases to exist with the emergence of a
pital goods. In addition, these challenges beca-
new configuration of the international system.
me more profound in the 1980s with the eco-
Only in the late 1990s and early 2000s
nomic recession that some Latin American and
did the South-South Cooperation movement
African countries experienced (LEITE, 2012).
resurface as a reflection of dissatisfaction with
In the 1980s and 1990s, therefore, there was a
the social impacts of neoliberal structural ad-
demobilization phase of South-South Coope-
justment programs and the emergence of pro-
ration by Tird World countries6.
gressive governments in several Southern cou-
Te reason for this decline was due to the
ntries. Te economic recovery of many of these
foreign debt crisis of those countries accom-
countries, as a result of the investment oppor-
panied by the retraction of the participation
tunities that these markets offered, has helped
of Latin American governments, in a process
to strengthen these relationships and, above all,
of democratic transition, on the international
to question the neoliberal development model
stage. Likewise, the replacement of the natio-
(LEITE, 2012; LIMA, 2005).
nal developmentalist model by the neoliberal
In this context, the East Asian region is
model led the countries of the South to com-
experiencing a period of economic miracle.
pete with each other in order to receive Foreign
Te countries of the former Soviet Union, es-
Direct Investment (LEITE, 2012). Tus, with
pecially Russia, in the face of the recovery of
the abandonment of the concept of the State as
their national stability, now attract large volu-
an engine for development, a process of more
mes of international capital through foreign
than decades of joint mobilization was inter-
investment. Latin America, after the rise of
rupted by the countries of the South.
progressive governments manages to revive its
With glasnost and perestroika, the demo-
economy, especially Brazil. However, African
cratizing, anti-bureaucratic and anti-statist mo-
countries, forced by foreign debt to continue
vement in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union
adopting neoliberal adjustments, were largely
ignored in the discussions of emerging marke-
t-associated investment groups except South
6 During this period, neither important cooperation actions
between developing countries nor events with great rele-
Africa (KLAK; JACKIEWICZ, 2002).
vance for the region were registered, with the exception of
As a result, the emergence of new poles of
the United Nations High Level Conference on Technical
power ultimately influences a change in the ba-
Cooperation between Developing Countries in the city of
Caracas in 1981 (SANTOS; CERQUEIRA, 2015).
lance of power, thereby implying the creation of
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new political arrangements. Notes to this scena-
follows the same principles, that is, it comes
rio, recurring financial crises in the face of im-
rather to complement global governance than
pending neoliberal failure, the emergence of new
to compete with her.
economic focus, especially China, in contrast to
Terefore, the new structure of the capi-
the decline of the epicenter of the world system,
talist system, with the inclusion of developing
as the United States and Europe, among other
countries within the international political eco-
processes (PAUTASSO; IANKOWSKI, 2013).
nomy by UN agencies, emerges as a propitious
Te beginning of the crisis of neolibera-
scenario for the creation of the BRICS. Des-
lism has as its main factor responsible the ex-
pite the remarkable regional influence of these
cess of credit, namely the “excess liquidity”, in
countries, conceiving the group decades earlier
the early years of the 21st century. Tis excess
seemed unfeasible, given the internal difficulties
credit in the international market, according
faced by each country and the political and eco-
to Silva (2010), arises as a result of the increa-
nomic order imposed by the US and the other
sing freedom given to banks by the supervisory
European powers, the hard core of economic
agencies to carry out operations in a manner
power. As regional powers, BRICS countries are
convenient to them.
now making efforts to achieve reforms in inter-
By the early 2000s, it was becoming clear
national financial and political institutions.
to developing country governments that the
neoliberal matrix was in crisis and reorienta-
Conclusion
tion. Although, without resuming the Tird
World discourse, there was a commitment on
Te liberal doctrine, present in British
the part of these countries to recover the idea
imperialism, encompassed a set of ideas and
that the international system is conditioned by
assumptions that legitimized, by the European
asymmetries that lead to an unequal distribu-
powers, the exploitation, colonization and
tion of power, especially in trade negotiations.
marginalization of countries with economies
Tis criticism of asymmetric globalization is
and state structures in the early stages of or-
materialized in the return of a new political
ganization. Since then, the main capitalist na-
matrix with “neo-developmentalist” contours
tions have determined the market position in
(SILVA, 2009).
which the group of peripheral countries should
Tis new phase of South-South Coope-
occupy internationally. In this sense, there is a
ration is marked by the efforts of developing
kind of dominance and dependence on tho-
countries to seek alternative development mo-
se undeveloped countries, precisely because
dels and the emergence of coalitions, such as
of their specialization in commodity exports.
the India, Brazil and South Africa Dialogue
During the twentieth century, the growing ex-
Forum (IBSA) in 2003, and the ASA (South
pansion and universalization of capitalism pro-
America - Africa) and ASPA (South America -
jected a scenario of asymmetric globalization
Arab Countries) bi-regional summits. Te con-
in which the system of states began to present
vention of the economic group Brazil, Russia,
greater polarization and economic inequality.
India, China and South Africa (BRICS) is after
Trotsky’s theory of uneven and combined
the formation of IBSA, ASA and ASPA, but
development offers support in explaining one
83 • Conjuntura Internacional • Belo Horizonte, ISSN 1809-6182, v.17 n.3, p.73 - 84, dez. 2020
of the facets of asymmetric capitalist globaliza-
gthen the periphery in the North-South logic of
tion in addressing the economic and social con-
cooperation. Tis pro-neoliberal conjuncture is
tradictions of the peripheral or dominated cou-
transformed at the beginning of the 21st century
ntries. Tis conception escapes the evolutionary
when the beginning of an economic crisis in the
view that shows history as a succession of rigidly
capitalist epicenter is evident. It is noted that the
predetermined stages, drawing a dialectical view
concentration of economic growth in countries
of historical development through sudden leaps
such as China, Brazil, India and Russia, and the
and contradictory mergers. According to Löwy
return of criticism to asymmetric globalization
(1995), one of the consequences of uneven de-
are part of the new context of resurgence of the
velopment is the privilege of latecomers, that
South-South Cooperation phenomenon.
is, those who arrive later, named as marginal
From this perspective, BRICS conforms
or peripheral may become the forefront of the
to a reformist arrangement of the world order,
next transformation. Previously, Trotsky (1932)
which aims to reach new solutions and forms
develops evidence of this latecomers’ thinking
of cooperation to deal with problems related
of privilege based on the case of France (1789),
to development. From then on, the countries
Russia (1917), and China (1927). Trough this
of the semi-periphery, such as Brazil, Russia,
latter country the theory dissociates itself from
India, China and South Africa began to act in-
Eurocentrism, accepting the possibility that de-
creasingly in tune with the periphery and with
veloping countries from any region of the world
each other, reinforcing South-South Coopera-
could participate in the forefront of the histo-
tion in the current international conjuncture.
rical movement. Tere was no development of
these hypotheses of international avant-garde
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