Foreign Policy of Emerging Powers toward America: Band-wagoning or Balancing? (Case Study: BRICS)

BRICS is a group of emerging powers including Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. It seems that they are challenging international unilateral system or it is expected to do so. Increasing their economic, political, and demographic capabilities, they could become main pillars in a multi-polar structure. According to the history of international relations, it is a usual practice to constitute a balance. So, they are trying to establish a multilateral system based on their present abilities. The article aims to answer the question how do BRICS behave toward United States’ unilateralism in their foreign policies. Replying the question, the hypothesis is offered that BRICS has kept a revisionist policy based on soft balancing on its eyes. Theory of soft balance should be a proper approach to examine the hypothesis through two variables, i.e. “disparity of power”, and “economic dependency”. Findings show that BRICS is indirectly trying to empower multilateralism in the international system.