Member Countries' Level of Commitment to BRICS

Abstract

The BRICS's countries are not equally committed to the alliance. As the alliance works to influence global norms and dynamics, it has become evident that the original members have diverse goals and interests, resulting in differing levels of commitment to BRICS. The chapter seeks to analyze the level of commitment of the BRICS' countries by measuring four critical variables in each country – socioeconomic well-being, soft power, external vulnerabilities, and capacity to preserve the environment. Once measured, each of these variables are compared across the five original member countries to determine the level of commitment of each country to BRICS. The results indicate that Brazil has a significant level of commitment, followed by China with a moderate-high level. Next in line are India, Russia, and South Africa, all exhibiting a moderate-low level of commitment. These findings demonstrate how the structural and institutional backdrop of each country influences their strategies and dynamics of a budding alliance.