Geopolitical Changes, Emerging Countries (BRICS) and the Question of Sub-imperialism in Our Days The Brasilian Case

Abstract

This study aims at analyzing the theoretical questions based on the main geopolitical changes taking places all over the world. In the 80s and 90s of the last century in the three semi-peripheral regions – Southern Europe, Latin America and Eastern-Central Europe – the different types of authoritarian and bureaucratic dictatorships collapsed. The emerging countries, among others the members of the BRICS-group appeared and started playing an important part in the world politics. In Latin America the era of the exceptional States which was followed by democratic changes came to end. It resulted in hybrid political systems of democracy. New regional integrations (Mercosur, UNASUR, Sanghai Cooperation Organization, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, Eurasian Economic Union, etc.) were organized and reborn. The international relations changed a lot. The two-poled world system ceased to exist and a multipolar worl system started to build up. Parallel with the above mentioned changes and phenomena the conception “sub-imperialism, ”which originally was elaborated by Ruy Mauro Marini in the 1970s started to be rethought and revaluated. In connection with it several questions have arisen: The concept worked out by Ruy Mauro Marini fifty years ago has actuality and validity in these days? Can it be used to describe the phenomena of this period? How can Brasilia be characterized: great power or subimperialistic state?