World Order Redefined: Rising Powers, Shifting Ties
Global power shifts as new alliances like BRICS expand, challenging traditional Western-led institutions and creating a more multipolar world with complex new dynamics.
Topics: politics, media
Example
On 1 January 2024, BRICS, the group founded by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia was also invited but has not formally accepted, and Argentina declined. Indonesia joined as a full member in January 2025. Supporters see the group as a voice for developing countries and an alternative to Western-led institutions such as the G7 and IMF.
Key facts
- Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the UAE joined BRICS on 1 January 2024; Saudi Arabia had not formally accepted its invitation.
- Indonesia joined BRICS as a full member in January 2025.
Limitations
- BRICS members disagree on much, including India and China on borders, so its size does not equal unified power; it has no binding treaty or shared currency.
Evaluations
politics evaluation
Support
Expansion to ten members, including major energy producers, gives BRICS more weight to press for reform of bodies like the IMF, where Western voting power dominates.
Counterargument
Members have very different political systems and rivalries, so BRICS rarely agrees on anything concrete beyond summit statements.
Rebuttal
Even loose coordination signals that developing countries want options; a multipolar world can be divided as well as plural.
Additional support
Saudi Arabia's hesitation shows that some states prefer to keep ties with both the West and BRICS rather than choose sides.
media evaluation
Support
BRICS summits are covered as a challenge to Western dominance, shaping a story of a shifting world order.
Counterargument
Western media often frame BRICS as led by China and Russia, which members such as India and Brazil reject.
Rebuttal
How the group is framed matters, because it affects whether other states see joining as neutral or as picking a side.
Additional support
State media in Russia and China give BRICS heavy, positive coverage, using it to show they are not isolated.
Sources
- The New Arab (2024-01-02): UAE, Ethiopia, Iran and Egypt 'set to join BRICS', Saudi Arabia still considering its invite
- Reuters (via Polity) (2025-01-07): Indonesia joins BRICS bloc as full member, Brazil says