One of the major success stories for capitalism in recent decades has been the rise of the BRICS—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, developing nations that have seen strong growth and have become major international economic players. But their rise brings with it a number of important questions for economics, politics, and democracy, questions taken up by a roster of stellar contributors in BRICS: An Anti-Capitalist Critique.
 
Offering critical analyses of the rise of the BRICS economies within the framework of a predatory, exclusionary, and unequal global capitalism, the contributors tackle questions such as: Will the BRICS force social change and innovation on the established economic and political order? Do they herald a new opening for democracy and human rights, or are they likely to be forces of political repression? What should we expect in the coming years, especially as some of these economies face significant hurdles in the wake of the global financial crisis? A contrarian, anti-capitalist exploration of some of the most important national economies in the world today, BRICS offers a much-needed counterpoint to mainstream analysis.

Patrick Bond is senior professor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, where he has directed the Centre for Civil Society since 2004. He is the author of many acclaimed books on South Africa including Talk Left, Walk Right and Elite Transition. Ana Garcia is professor of international relations at the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.