"The emergence of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa on a global stage has upset the dominance of the United States as the worl d's only superpower. But can they chart a path toward a more just globa l economy? This collection, which brings together leading political eco nomists from around the world, argues that the BRICS are actually ampli fying some of the worst features of international capitalism. This boo k aims to fill a gap in studies of the BRICS grouping of countries (Bra zil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). It provides a critical ana lysis of their economies, societies and geopolitical strategies within the framework of a global capitalism that is increasingly predatory, un equal and ecologically self-destructive - no more so than in the BRICS countries themselves. In unprecedented detail and with great innovatio n, the contributors consider theoretical traditions in political econom y as applied to the BRICS, including "sub-imperialism," the World Syste m perspective and dynamics of territorial expansion. Only such an appro ach can interpret the potential for a "brics-from-below" uprising that appears likely to accompany the rise of the BRICS. Contributors: Elmar Altvater, Baruti Amisi, Patrick Bond, Omar Bonilla, Einar Braathen, Pe dro Henrique Campos, Ruslan Dzarasov, Virginia Fontes, Ana Garcia, Ho-f ung Hung, Richard Kamidza, Karina Kato, Claudio Katz, Mathias Luce, Far ai Maguwu, Judith Marshall, Gilmar Mascarenhas, Sam Moyo, Leo Panitch, Bobby Peek, Gonzalo Pozo, Vijay Prashad, Niall Reddy, William Robinson, Susanne Soederberg, Celina Sørbøe, Achin Vanaik, Immanuel Wa llerstein and Paris Yeros"-- Provided by publisher.

"Brazil, Russia, India, South Africa and China is often considered t o be an alternative, antagonistic force to Western imperialism - yet in reporting from fronts as diverse as financial regulation, climate nego tiations, minerals extraction or even World Cup soccer, leading politic al economists in this book show how the BRICS are accommodating and eve n amplifying the worst features of global capitalism"-- Provided by publisher.