BRICS: a development instrument for the emergent countries?

Abstract

The emergence of BRICS generated questions about the capabilities of its members to cooperate in order to change the international order. The article analyses the nature and significance of the bloc´s initiatives and statements in order to contribute to the development of the emergent countries in the present situation in which international division of labour and inter-state system unfolds. With that aim, we study the bloc´s demands to developed countries to produce changes in the international order, the launch of its joint initiatives and the pretended political representation of developing countries. The article concludes that South-South Cooperation rhetoric does not materialize in the BRICS foreign policies. On the contrary, the relations established by the bloc end up reproducing the current asymmetries with the rest of developing countries, based on initiatives which are oriented to foster and regulate the internationalization of BRICS´ individual capitals.