From the Warsaw Pact to BRICS: The Shift in Global Power Play

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"We should help reform global governance to make it more just and equitable, and bring to the world more certainty, stability and positive energy". — Xi Jinping, BRICS Summit 2023


The rise of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) represents a profound shift in the dynamics of global governance, moving away from a world order dominated by Western institutions to a more multipolar world system. BRICS acts as a platform for emerging economies to voice their concerns and challenge the existing global governance structure, particularly the dominance of the US dollar in the international financial system.



THE WARSAW PACT’S LEGACY 

In the wake of World War II, the world sharply became divided into two — the capitalist West led by the USA and the communist bloc led by the Soviet Union. As NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) gained strength in the West, the East responded with the formation of the Warsaw Pact in 1955. It was a military alliance created as a counterweight to NATO. The Pact wasn’t just an alliance; it was a bold declaration to the West that it would not tolerate Western influence into Eastern Europe. It comprised of countries like Poland, East Germany, Hungary and Czechoslovakia.

However, the late 1980s saw the collapse of Eastern communist regimes, and subsequently shattered the foundation the Warsaw Pact stood on. The final blow was the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. With the alliance gone, the international system leapt from bipolarity to unipolarity, one dominated by the USA; but however, it didn’t last long.


THE RISE OF BRICS  

With the Warsaw Pact of the 20th century gone, the 21st century saw the establishment of another force — BRICS. Formed in the 2000s and now expanded to 11 nations, this coalition features heavyweights like Russia, China, India, Brazil, and South Africa, and a growing list from the so-called “Global South”. It emerged as an economic alliance for rapidly growing economies in the early 2000s, but now is increasingly becoming a geopolitical counterweight to Western dominance. Initially BRIC, before South Africa joined in the 2010s becoming BRICS. It also includes countries like Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia and Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. BRICS countries represent a significant portion of the global population and GDP, making them a significant force.


BRICS as a Challenge to Western Hegemony 

Russia and China, both former (and current) challengers to Western hegemony, are at the heart of this. BRICS aims to provide an alternative to the Western-dominated international order. This initiative was designed to empower developing countries to navigate the global financial and trade systems which are dominated by the West. One of such is the establishment of alternative institutions such as the New Development Bank (NDB) to challenge the Western-dominated World Bank. The aim is clear: reshape the world order but not necessarily to mirror the old war blocs, but to reflect a multipolar reality as it seeks to amplify the voices of emerging economies. BRICS is working towards reducing reliance on the US Dollar by promoting local currency trade and financing among its members. As early said, BRICS has expanded and will continue to expand but it comes with complications including the challenge of managing the diverse interests of its members and potential internal divisions among a larger group of nations. It is worth noting that at the BRICS meeting held in July 2025, President Putin of Russia and Xi Jinping of China were absent.

As tensions grow, especially with Russia’s isolation from the West and China’s rivalry with the USA, BRICS is beginning to feel less like an economic club and more like the seed of a new global realignment. The rise of BRICS is reshaping the global geopolitical landscape, leading to a more complex and multipolar world.


Map key

  BRICS member countries

  BRICS partners

  BRICS applicants

  Invited to join BRICS

(Source: Wikipedia)


Would this be the tip of a new world order or will it fall under its contradictions? Let’s know what you think in the comments.


Comments

  1. AnonymousJuly 21, 2025 at 1:50 AM

    Considering the rivalry between China and U.S.A right now i believed this partnership will be effective in the world economy dominated by the U.S.A

    ReplyDelete

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