BRICS Capacities and Russia’s Limitations in Changing the International Order

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BRICS Capacities and Russia’s Limitations in Changing the International Order
Authors: Mohammadreza Jahangiri, Khosrow Vafaei Sa‘di
Journal: Central Asia and the Caucasus Studies Quarterly (Motale‘at-e Asiya-ye Markazi va Ghafghaz)
Volume: 24
Issue: 103
Publication date: Autumn 1397 (2018)

Article introduction
This article examines BRICS’s capacities and Russia’s limitations in its efforts to change the international order. As a diplomatic club of emerging powers, BRICS aims to challenge US dominance over global economic institutions and international financial networks and to play a strategic role in building a multipolar international system. The central focus is to assess Russia’s expectations of BRICS and the extent to which they have been realized. Russia expects BRICS to weaken US-centered institutions and create alternative regimes, producing a multipolar system in which Russia is one of the main poles.
The article shows, however, that internal constraints and divergent interests among members make it difficult to fully realize these goals in the short term. The analysis suggests that while BRICS activities can, in the long run, weaken US-led institutions and foster alternative regimes, Russia’s position in the future order will likely be similar to its current situation. Structural weaknesses, long-standing dependence on existing institutions, resource limitations, and competition with other emerging powers all contribute to this outcome.
Although Russia seeks to increase its influence through BRICS, a fundamental transformation of the international order and full realization of its expectations are unlikely in the near term. In a future multipolar system, Russia’s position will probably improve only marginally relative to today.

BRICS Capacities and Russia’s Limitations in Changing the International Order Authors: Mohammadreza Jahangiri, Khosrow Vafaei Sa‘di Journal: Central Asia and the Caucasus Studies Quarterly (Motale‘at-e Asiya-ye Markazi va Ghafghaz) Volume: 24 Issue: 103 Publication date: Autumn 1397 (2018) Article introduction This article examines BRICS’s capacities and Russia’s limitations in its efforts to change the international order. As a diplomatic club of emerging powers, BRICS aims to challenge US dominance over global economic institutions and international financial networks and to play a strategic role in building a multipolar international system. The central focus is to assess Russia’s expectations of BRICS and the extent to which they have been realized. Russia expects BRICS to weaken US-centered institutions and create alternative regimes, producing a multipolar system in which Russia is one of the main poles. The article shows, however, that internal constraints and divergent interests among members make it difficult to fully realize these goals in the short term. The analysis suggests that while BRICS activities can, in the long run, weaken US-led institutions and foster alternative regimes, Russia’s position in the future order will likely be similar to its current situation. Structural weaknesses, long-standing dependence on existing institutions, resource limitations, and competition with other emerging powers all contribute to this outcome. Although Russia seeks to increase its influence through BRICS, a fundamental transformation of the international order and full realization of its expectations are unlikely in the near term. In a future multipolar system, Russia’s position will probably improve only marginally relative to today.