Brazil, Russia, India, and China or less commonly known as the BRIC nations are holding an economic summit this year in China. This will be their third summit in three years, showing these countries common interests. Originally just an economic alliance, BRIC may turn into a political alliance this year, similar to what the European Union has become. This plan, however, does not sit very well with the United States. These countries, having large land areas, populations, and strong infrastructures, are potential threats to the United States’ bid as the world’s sole superpower, and with the BRIC nations uniting it may lead to the end of a United States dominated world.

BRIC has been the forefront for the world’s economy for the past three years. It has controlled energy output because Russia, China, and Brazil are huge producers of energy, agriculture because all BRIC nations have huge tracts of land that allow them to have a strong agricultural economy, and industry because China and India have the man power to accommodate more factories then any other nation on the planet. This success as a world economic power has led to some nations having positive feeling about this alliance. Some nations, including South Korea and Mexico, have tried to join BRIC, but were denied by the current members. BRIC has denied new members for two main reasons: they were already developed, such as South Korea; or they were too underdeveloped, such as Mexico. They want to epitomize an early European Union, but they do not want the same downfall that it had. Instead, BRIC plans to limit membership to possibly only the four current members.
Other nations, especially the United States, are fearful of this new economic alliance. The United States was the previous leader for the world economy, in its own right, before the formation of BRIC, and this has led to strained relationships between the United State and some of the BRIC nations. Many United States citizens also feel fearful of the BRIC economic alliance. Dulcie X., a high school freshman, said, “Yes, I feel threatened by the BRIC economic alliance. They are made of some of the world’s largest trading companies and the United States is not part of it. That is what scares me.” Other citizens, however, do not feel threatened by BRIC. Brett E., a ninth grader, said, “I don’t feel threatened by BRIC. If they aren’t doing anything to us then I have not reason to fear them.”

Even if some Americans do not fear the BRIC economic alliance, they may fear them soon. BRIC will have its third summit this year in China, hosted by Hu Jintao, and the main item of discussion is evolving from an economic alliance to a political and military alliance. This will be a similar move that the European Union made in previous years. BRIC, unlike the European Union, will not fall out because they limit their alliance to an extremely small amount of nations, while the European Union allowed many unqualified nations into their alliance. This switch makes the United States, among other nations, fearful of the extreme power and influence this group will have. Jonny G., an opinionated student, said “I would feel threatened if BRIC became a military alliance. They are already some of the most powerful nations in the world and we have strained diplomatic relationships with some of them.”

Other people fear the United State will not be the world’s lone superpower anymore. Post-WW2 the United States and the USSR were the world’s superpowers, being forefronts of world economy, technology, and policy. The United States, however, became the lone superpower when the Cold War ended with the USSR falling apart. The emergence of BRIC has led to many people fearing the future of the United States’ dominated world. BRIC, already having a strong foot-hold on world economy, and threatening to become a political power, has all of the resources to become a superpower. The BRIC superpower would be a huge enemy for the United States’ because it would control 40% of the world’s population, has a Communist country as one of its members, and has allies of Iran as some of their members. Brett Edelblum stated “I would feel threatened by a BRIC superpower because I feel safer when the United State is alone on the top of the world and I do not want that safety compromised.” Others do not fear this potential future. Alex B. said “No I would not feel threatened because I think it is possible for two superpowers in the world to coexist in peace.” This would be the best future for the world because in the past, world superpowers have always fought each other in wars, whether it being Cold Wars or wars with bloodshed, but this is an unlikely future.