Summary
Last week, Foreign Affairs posted an article, "The Return of the Global South: Realism, Not Moralism, Drives a New Critique of Western Power" by Sarang Shidore which argues that the global South is re-emerging as a significant player in geopolitics. Historically marginalized, these countries are now asserting themselves through pragmatic economic policies and strategic geopolitical moves. Shidore highlights that the global South is not just a bystander in global politics but an active player, driven by a new form of realism that focuses on national interests rather than idealistic notions of solidarity. The global South's resurgence is marked by its focus on attracting trade and investment, navigating complex geopolitical landscapes, and leveraging relationships with both Western powers and emerging coalitions like China and Russia.
Shidore also delves into the dissatisfaction among global South states with their limited influence in global decision-making structures. These are states in membership of the G-77, an organization founded in the United Nations in 1964, which can serve as a reasonable guide to the global South's composition (Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Chile, Singapore - middle powers like Brazil, India, Indonesia, and South Africa).
Despite their growing economic and geopolitical weight, these states are often marginalized in international institutions like the UN. They are increasingly seeking autonomy and influence through various means, including public statements, coalitions like BRICS, and trade in local currencies. The effects of these efforts are already visible, as seen in the U.S.'s cautious approach to imposing sanctions and its restrained responses to geopolitical events involving global South countries.
For instance, the U.S. has been cautious in imposing major secondary sanctions related to Russia and has been relatively restrained in its response to anti-French coups in the Sahel belt. Over time, the global South could compel great powers to accommodate its demands for greater representation in international institutions and to refrain from most proxy war activities. Two specific areas where the global South is making its influence felt are climate change and the potential countering of dollar hegemony.
The global South will continue to be a significant geopolitical entity as long as it remains marginalized in international power structures. While there are potential challenges to the unity and influence of the global South, such as internal rivalries and economic disparities, Shidore argues that these are not immediate concerns. The global South is likely to continue exerting pressure on great powers, challenging the legitimacy of their policies, and advocating for systemic change. Global South is a "geopolitical fact" that is shaping the dynamics of the international order, and its influence will persist as long as its goals of greater inclusion and influence remain unachieved.
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/world/return-global-south-critique-western-power
One reply on “Week#2 -Huda”
Huda,
You chose an interesting topic for your first blog post. The interests of the Global South (GS) have come into sharper focus in recent years due to a number of factors. One is energy and essential raw materials–many of the GS countries are blessed with abundant raw materials, including the “rare earth” metals that are needed to build lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles. This have not only been an economic windfall for these countries, but it has also given them economic and political leverage.
At the same time, within the context of the Global Climate Change debate, the GS has made increasingly strident demands for “loss and damage” compensation from the rich countries. They argue that climate change was and is NOT of their making, and they have very little capacity to deal with either the immediate effects of drought, floods, heat, etc. much less the longer term effects. Just within the last year, the richer states have acknowledged for the first time that they will have to pay compensation. –Professor Wallerstein