<b>Global South:</b>Predicament and Promise

TLDR

The essay traces the historical emergence of the Global South concept, its roots in the 1960s–70s “Third World” term, and the potential role of major powers such as China, India, Brazil, and South Africa in shaping it. It argues that, despite the obsolescence of the “Third World” label, the Global South can inspire new geopolitical projects that position it as a decisive force in reshaping global relations. The essay examines in depth the relationship between the Global South and China, the People’s Republic of China.

Abstract

This essay explores possibilities for the establishment of a new global order, in which the Global South may play a central part. It traces the emergence of the concept historically, with special attention to its antecedents in the popular term of the 1960s and 1970s, "Third World." It suggests that white the "Third World" is no longer a viable concept geopolitically or as political project, it may still provide an inspiration for similar projects presently that may render the global South into a force in the reconfiguration of global relations. A number of powerful societies that have reason to align with the global South—China, India, Brazil and South Africa—may be particularly important in forging a global South. The essay examines in some depth the relationship to the Global South of one such society, the People's Republic of China.