Save a seat for the Global South

Countries in the Global South are becoming increasingly important actors on the global stage.

While the term “Global South” is vague — and some have argued for abolishing it — it is used here to mean the larger and richer developing nations. The demands made by the Global South have created political and economic shifts that the West will need to adapt to.

These countries have become more powerful due to their economic growth. With respect to GDP in purchasing power parity-adjusted terms, India is the third largest economy globally, while Indonesia is seventh and Brazil is eighth.

Meanwhile, the G7’s share of global GDP has fallen from 65%-44% over the last 50 years due in part to China’s rise but also to the rise of the Global South.

The Global South is using its power by trying to exert agency in international economic and political affairs. One manifestation is the call for “active non-alignment” between the United States and China.

This is not the non-alignment of the 20th century, but one that shifts alliances depending on the issue at stake. A recent example is Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

While most developing countries disapprove of the invasion, they are unwilling to participate in sanctions despite the West’s urging. Another example is Southeast Asia balancing close economic relations with China against security relations with the United States.

Yet there are obstacles to the Global South assuming a substantially greater international political role. The interests of individual countries are quite heterogeneous, varying by geographical location, size, natural resource endowment and development level.

For instance, China’s neighbors in Southeast Asia are in quite a different situation than Latin American