That vile, racist British rag, The Economist, weighed in on Aug. 17 with a 2,500-plus word article dismissing the BRICS as merely a “party for many of the biggest swing voters in geopolitics” and full of divisions. It grudgingly admits, however, that it is not dead. In fact, it could expand, and “a `Big BRICS’ would be a challenge for the West.” Although, they assure themselves, “not a mortal threat.”
The Economist’s apparent biggest fear is that an expansion of the BRICS would increase China’s weight in world affairs. Arrogantly dismissive of the other BRICS members, The Economist dubs China as “the life, soul and wallet of the party.” And like Baron Jim O’Neill, The Economist looks to India’s disputes and rivalry with China to block the feared BRICS expansion. But The Economist worries that India may not come through for London:
India “doesn’t want to be a party-pooper either. Nor is it keen to attract the blame for blocking other emerging countries’ aspirations. And it aims to preserve decent relations with China, with which it has deep economic links and a long border. So India is proceeding with caution.”
The Economist’s concluding shot: “The Johannesburg summit will be a defining moment for the BRICS. Enlargement would indicate the scale of China’s sway on the scene. But if Beijing is blocked, it would underline the group’s deep divisions.”
