20 Chapter Two
degree of independence from Washington–contributing to the transformation
of today’s unipolar world order, which at present is still being piloted by
the West. This alteration will eventually be reflected in a multipolar
system where various countries and blocks will share international
leadership.
The US opposes the BRICS’ approach towards multipolarity.
Compounded with this is the fact that the BRICS have little sentiment
regarding America’s animosity towards various states (for example Iran).
Furthermore, the grouping’s members do not involve themselves in US-
generated conflicts in the Middle East, and, as far as sympathies are
concerned, most of the BRICS countries have strong relationships with the
Palestinians. The US remains concerned with the BRICS members’
assertiveness as reflected in a statement made by the US Secretary of
Defense when he said that emerging powers “like China and Brazil and
India not to mention obviously Russia...provide a challenge to us not only
in trying to cooperate with them, but making sure that they don’t
undermine the stability of the world.”^6
All five BRICS countries (three with nuclear arsenals) attempt to
maintain respectful relations with the US and do not deliberately attempt
to antagonize the superpower. However there is an almost natural gradual
encroachment against US hegemony. Immanuel Wallerstein sees the
BRICS as “weakening still further the power of the US and other segments
of the old North in favor of the South, or at least of the BRICS
themselves.” He notes that if there is a belief that anti-imperialism is about
reducing the power of the US, then BRICS certainly represents this anti-
imperialistic force. At the same time he notes that those countries in the
South who are not in the BRICS are starting to accuse the individual
BRICS countries themselves of being imperialistic.^7
The Diversity of BRICS
The BRICS countries can be better analyzed when reviewing them as
individual States. As with all nations, each of the BRICS countries have
their individuality that is reflected through their respective cultures,
languages, and historical background. Furthermore, their political systems,
foreign policies, government institutions, and policies–both internally as
well as externally–are widely diverse, as are their socio-economic rates of
development. However, as a functioning geographic entity, BRICS countries
(^6) <www.defence.gov/news>
(^7) Wallerstein, “Whose Interests are Served by BRICS?”, 1-3.