In pursuit of self-determination and redistribution: emerging powers and Western anti-establishment voters in international politics

Abstract

This essay takes up a global and comparative perspective in arguing that emerging powers and domestic anti-establishment movements in Western countries change international politics in a similar direction, since both demand more national autonomy and a redistribution of power and wealth. Both complain about an inadequate participation regarding the gains of and influence on the established order and aim at self-determination. The essay argues that Western governments' neglect of these claims has delegitimised the international order in the eyes of many Western voters and emerging powers, and stimulated nation-centered international politics, exemplified by the BRICS' initiatives and by the electoral success of Brexit and Trump. To avoid the further development of parallel orders, the concerns of emerging countries and Western anti-establishment voters should be taken seriously, even if this implies weaker supranational rules and stronger national autonomy. A more nation-centered international system might enhance legitimacy especially if democratic states were empowered, since their governments are accountable to the electorate in contrast to transnational elites.

The structural power of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) in multilateral development finance: A case study of the New Development Bank

“…The second group of scholars that has examined the BRICS's role in global governance considers their ascent as a challenge to the current international order. This group focuses on the domestic sources of the BRICS nations' preferences regarding global governance, which allows for the assessment of the heterogeneity of and differences among the BRICS countries (Heldt and Schmidtke, 2017;Hopewell, 2017;Lavenex et al, 2017;Noelke et al, 2015;Schirm, 2013Schirm, , 2019Stephen, 2014Stephen, , 2017Stuenkel, 2016). These scholars focus on the BRICS nations' attempts to increase their power in different areas of global governance, creating a multipolar structure to global politics (Chakraborty, 2018;Petropoulos, 2013;Roberts, 2019;Yang, 2019).…”

Soziologie der Deglobalisierung

“…), hat das Thema in der öffentlichen Diskussion neu besetzt (Bello 2021 ). Dies ist jedoch kein Automatismus; die auffälligen Überschneidungen bei dem Wählerklientel von Donald Trump und Bernie Sanders zeigen, dass Deglobalisierungsimpulse auch von der politischen Linken ausgehen können (Schirm 2019 ).…”