The Rise of BRICS, & the Fall of Western Hegemony

A World in Transition: The Rise of BRICS, & the Fall of Western Hegemony

By Prof. Suresh Deman

Centre for Strategic Affairs, London 

In the aftermath of the Cold War, the United States led the construction of a Western international order that expanded its influence across the globe. Institutions such as the IMF, World Bank, and NATO—alongside the European Union—served as key pillars of this order (Acharya 2018). During the so-called “unipolar moment,” the West faced few restraints in global affairs. This system, once considered universal, is now being challenged by a wave of dissatisfaction from the Global South, accelerated by the re-emergence of Russia and the rise of China as major powers (Stuenkel 2016).

Witnessing the birth of a new global order.

At the heart of this transformation is BRICS, an institution that has evolved beyond its economic roots. BRICS is not only a platform for financial cooperation among emerging economies but also a political institution, though not a military one (CFR 2023). It reflects a broader pushback against Western hegemony and articulates the interests of a growing number of states disillusioned with Western double standards (Al Jazeera 2023).

New institutions are emerging—such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Belt and Road Initiative—that signal an increasingly multipolar world. These frameworks challenge the dominance of the Bretton Woods institutions and represent alternative visions of global cooperation (Stuenkel 2016). Countries like Turkey and Iran have expressed strong interest in joining BRICS, which now includes members with both adversarial and mixed relationships with the United States (BRICS 2023).

This transition is also shaped by geopolitical crises. The war in Gaza has revealed the extent of global discontent. Outside the West, nearly every country is appalled by Israel’s actions and the silence—or complicity—of Western governments, particularly the U.S. and Germany. Many see this as a genocide unfolding in real time (UNHRC 2024). Public figures in the Global South, including prominent leaders, have denounced Western support for Israel. These reactions are not just moral expressions; they also serve political interests by distinguishing these states as principled actors while casting the West as morally bankrupt.

Will this lead China or Russia to intervene meaningfully in the Middle East? Likely not. But Hamas has gained symbolic stature in much of the Global South by resisting Israeli forces. Western media narratives that depict its leaders as cowards hide the fact that many went down fighting (Hersh 2024). Israel’s campaign has failed on all three of its stated goals: defeating Hamas, retrieving hostages, and depopulating Gaza. Ethnic cleansing, many argue, is the unstated objective (UNHRC 2024). Instead, the Israeli campaign has energized Palestinian resistance and triggered an international reckoning.

The Ukraine war has also catalyzed realignment. Despite Western sanctions and diplomatic pressure, Russia is far from isolated. BRICS conferences have featured leaders from countries like India—nominally aligned with the West—willing to share the stage with Vladimir Putin (CFR 2023). This undercuts any claim that Russia is a global pariah.

Efforts to cripple Russia’s economy or isolate it politically have largely failed. The use of national currencies in trade among BRICS members now accounts for 95% of Russia’s trade (Global Times 2023). Western policymakers expected collapse. Instead, Russia’s economy has adapted, even thrived in certain sectors (Chhibber 2023). Attempts to exclude Russia from the international financial system have inadvertently spurred the search for alternatives to SWIFT and the dollar (Acharya 2018; Posen 2023). While it is true the dollar is not disappearing anytime soon, a long-term erosion of its dominance has begun (Chhibber 2023).

China’s role in this transformation is pivotal. President Xi Jinping has repeatedly referred to “changes unseen in a century.” This is not empty rhetoric. It reflects a systematic Chinese strategy to reshape global governance and assert itself at the center of a new international order (Global Times 2023). Thousands of academic papers and policy frameworks in China are now devoted to this vision.

Meanwhile, BRICS offers Iran a vehicle to counter U.S. pressure and integrate economically with like-minded states. Although BRICS does not provide security guarantees, it facilitates cooperation that undermines the U.S.-led sanctions regime (Stuenkel 2016). It creates a rules-based structure outside of Washington’s control, where countries can pursue national interests without Western interference.

Despite the West’s desire to return to a world where it makes the rules, the facts on the ground tell a different story. The war in Ukraine is likely to end in a frozen conflict, with no real reconciliation between Russia and the West. Poisonous relations are likely to persist for the foreseeable future (Mearsheimer 2014). China and Brazil have formed new peace initiatives and “friends for peace” groups to contain the conflict and prevent escalation, but these are largely symbolic (CFR 2023). China and India will not abandon Russia, as they too see Western expansionism as a strategic threat.

In sum, the transformation of the international order is real, deep, and irreversible. The West can no longer take for granted the loyalty or alignment of once-cooperative partners. BRICS is not a panacea for its members’ challenges, but it is a platform for asserting autonomy in an increasingly contested world. It is an anti-hegemonic force, albeit in a subtle and institutionalized form.

For the United States and its allies, the challenge is no longer maintaining dominance, but managing decline with dignity. The future belongs not to a single bloc but to a plurality of powers—each asserting their place in a world where Western leadership is no longer assured.

Artisle is based on Professor Mearsheimer's numerous lectures and the author's own perspectives. Prof. Suresh Deman is Director of the Centre for Strategic Affairs, London. He has advised governments on economic and geopolitical policy and writes regularly on international relations and political economy.