Regional Integration in the Global South: Brazil, South Africa and India

Abstract

This article discusses regional integration in the Global South, based on a comparative analysis between Brazil, South Africa and India. In particular, we focus on the governments of the Workers’ Party (PT) between 2003 and 2016, the administrations of the African National Congress under Thabo Mbeki (1999-2009) and the Indian National Congress (INC) between 2004 and 2014. We analyze how the internationalization projects of the capitalist sectors of these countries have articulated themselves to regional integration initiatives in their immediate geographical surroundings, to examine to what extent this movement was conceived, by the analyzed governments, as part of a strategy of political projection. It aims to identify the main economic sectors interested in regional integration; the extent to which the national states of the respective countries have developed a coherent strategy to support these interests; and whether political intention accompanied support for these businesses. The article hypothesizes that, although the three governments had comparable regional policy goals, aiming at consolidating a political leadership position based on the economic projection, the Brazilian strategy under PT’s administrations was unique, as a result of historical, political and economic considerations.