Where Actually is the "Global South"?

Summary

The video explores the term 'Global South,' tracing its origins to the Brandt Line and the Non-Aligned Movement. It discusses the resurgence of the term amid US-China rivalry and its use to describe the world's poorest regions, the G77 coalition, and non-aligned countries. The video highlights the evolving geopolitical significance of the Global South, which includes advocating for a new economic world order and asserting interests through organizations like the African Union and BRICS, amidst a shifting international landscape.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The term 'Global South' has gained popularity in recent years, often used in academic articles and political discussions without a clear definition.
• 📈 The phrase originated from the Brandt Line in 1980, which marked the divide between the wealthy North and the poorer South, mostly consisting of former colonies.
• 🔄 The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), established in 1961, was the first political grouping aiming to represent the Global South, advocating for decolonization and anti-imperialism.
• 🌍 The Global South can be understood in three ways: as the poorest countries, as the G77 Coalition, or as a non-aligned block in the context of Sino-American rivalry.
• 💼 The G77 and China organization, successor to NAM, represents 135 developing countries and works to promote South-South trade and North-South cooperation.
• 🌟 Economic shifts have led to some Global South countries becoming wealthier, challenging the traditional North-South divide based on economic disparity.
• 🔝 The geopolitical significance of the Global South has increased as smaller, non-aligned countries play a role in the rivalry between the US and China.
• 🗳️ Non-aligned countries in the Global South do not necessarily hold anti-Western sentiments but seek to advance their national interests amidst great power competition.
• 🔮 The concept of the Global South is not as coherent as it was in the 20th century, and its resurgence reflects the changing dynamics in international relations.
• 🎓 Brilliant.org is mentioned as a resource for learning complex subjects like math, data science, and computer science in an interactive and accessible way.

Q & A

What is the global South and why has it become a popular term recently?

The global South is a term used to describe a group of countries that are generally poorer and located in the southern hemisphere. It has become popular recently due to its use in academic articles and media, often in discussions about geopolitical dynamics and economic shifts, particularly in relation to the growing influence of countries like China and India.

What is the origin of the term 'global South'?

The term 'global South' originated from the Brandt Line, drawn at roughly 30° latitude in 1980, which highlighted the inequalities between the wealthy North and the poorest South. It was used to describe countries south of this line, many of which were former colonies caught in the Cold War dynamics between the US and the USSR.

What was the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and how does it relate to the global South?

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) was a group of countries formed in 1961 to assert their political and economic interests independently of the US or the USSR during the Cold War. It was the first formal political grouping to represent the global South, advocating for decolonization, disarmament, and better regional relations.

How has the geopolitical situation today influenced the resurgence of the term 'global South'?

The resurgence of the term 'global South' is influenced by the current geopolitical situation where two major powers, the US and China, are competing for influence over global South countries. This dynamic has led to a reactive non-aligned block, led by countries like India, seeking to navigate the geopolitical conflict.

What are the different ways in which the term 'global South' is used today?

Today, the term 'global South' can refer to the poorest countries in the world, the G77 and China coalition, or a non-aligned block of countries that do not side with either the US or China in the current great power rivalry.

How does the economic shift in the global South affect its definition?

As economies in the global South grow and some countries become as rich or richer than those in the global North, the traditional definition of the global South based on economic disparity becomes less clear and the lines between the global North and South blur.

What role does the G77 and China play in the global South?

The G77 and China is an intergovernmental organization representing 135 developing countries, aiming to promote South-South trade and facilitate North-South cooperation. It is seen as a successor to the NAM and has gained political clout in recent times.

How does the African Union's involvement in the G20 impact the global South?

The African Union's inclusion in the G20, a group of the world's largest economies, provides a platform for African nations to address key issues such as debt restructuring, which is significant for the global South's representation and influence in global economic discussions.

What is the stance of non-aligned countries in the global South regarding the US and China rivalry?

Non-aligned countries in the global South often do not side with either the US or China, seeking to advance their national interests by navigating the superpowers' competition. This stance is not necessarily anti-Western but is based on the belief that playing the superpowers off each other is beneficial.

How does the term 'global South' serve as a rhetorical tool for politicians?

Politicians sometimes use the term 'global South' as a rhetorical tool to suggest that certain countries are out of touch with global opinion or to emphasize the geopolitical significance of non-aligned countries in the international community.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Origins and Resurgence of the Global South

This paragraph delves into the concept of the 'global South,' a term that has gained popularity in recent years. It discusses the lack of a clear definition for the term and its various interpretations. The paragraph traces the origins of the term back to the 1980s with the Brandt Line, which was drawn at 30° latitude to highlight the disparity between the wealthy North and the impoverished South. It also touches on the historical context of the Cold War, where many Global South countries were former colonies caught between the US and the Soviet Union. The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), established in 1961, is highlighted as an early political group representing the Global South's interests, advocating for decolonization, disarmament, and regional cooperation. The paragraph concludes by noting the resurgence of the term in recent times, particularly in the context of the current geopolitical landscape where the US and China are vying for influence, and a non-aligned block led by India is seeking a middle ground.

05:01

🌐 The Evolving Definition of the Global South

The second paragraph explores the different ways the term 'global South' is used today. It outlines three main interpretations: first, as a reference to the poorest countries in the world, which are predominantly located south of the Brandt Line; second, as a shorthand for the G77 and China, an intergovernmental organization comprising 135 developing countries; and third, as a non-aligned block of countries that do not side with either the US or China in the current geopolitical rivalry. The paragraph discusses the economic and political shifts within the Global South, noting that while many of its economies are struggling, some are becoming richer and more influential. It also highlights the role of various regional organizations within the G77 and China, such as the African Union, ASEAN, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, in addressing specific issues and promoting cooperation. The paragraph concludes by emphasizing the complexity of defining the Global South and the geopolitical significance of non-aligned countries in the current international order.

10:03

🎓 Enhancing Knowledge with Interactive Learning

The final paragraph shifts focus to the benefits of interactive learning, particularly in the fields of mathematics, data science, and computer science. It introduces 'brilliant.org' as a platform that offers accessible and engaging learning experiences, breaking down complex topics into manageable chunks. The platform is designed to fit into a busy schedule, allowing users to accumulate knowledge over time. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of active learning techniques, which are used by 'brilliant' to ensure a deep understanding of the subjects. It concludes with an offer for the first 200 users to receive a 20% discount on 'brilliant's annual premium subscription, encouraging continuous learning and self-improvement.

Keywords

💡Global South

The 'Global South' refers to a term used to describe countries in the Southern Hemisphere that are generally considered to be economically developing or underdeveloped. In the video, it is discussed as a phrase that has gained popularity in academic and political discourse, often used to describe countries that are not part of the traditional 'Global North' or developed world. The term is also associated with a group of countries that are seeking to assert their interests independently in the current geopolitical landscape, particularly in relation to the rivalry between the US and China.

💡Brand Line

The 'Brand Line' is a concept introduced in the video to illustrate the historical economic divide between the wealthy North and the poorer South, drawn at roughly 30° latitude. It was intended to highlight global inequalities and became a visual representation of the economic disparities that led to the formation of the non-aligned movement. The video uses the Brand Line to discuss the origins of the Global South and how it has evolved over time.

💡Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)

The 'Non-Aligned Movement' is mentioned as a political group formed during the Cold War by countries that sought to remain independent of the influence of the US and the USSR. The video explains that NAM was a platform for countries of the Global South to advance their interests, such as decolonization and anti-imperialism, and it was the first formal political grouping to represent the Global South.

💡G77

The 'G77' is an intergovernmental organization that represents the interests of 135 developing countries, making up around 80% of the world's population. In the video, it is described as a successor to the Non-Aligned Movement, working to promote South-South trade and facilitate North-South cooperation. The G77 is portrayed as a significant player in the current international order, particularly in the context of the Global South's role.

💡Sino-American Rivalry

The 'Sino-American Rivalry' refers to the ongoing competition between China and the United States for global influence. The video discusses how this rivalry has led to a resurgence of the term 'Global South' as countries in this group seek to navigate between the two superpowers without aligning with either, thus gaining a newfound geopolitical significance.

💡Economic Shift

The 'Economic Shift' mentioned in the video refers to the changing economic landscape where traditionally poorer countries of the Global South are becoming wealthier, and some are expected to have some of the largest economies in the world by 2030. This shift challenges the traditional understanding of the Global South as solely consisting of economically disadvantaged countries.

💡Geopolitical Significance

The 'Geopolitical Significance' of the Global South is discussed in the context of its role as a potential 'swing voter' in the international community. As smaller, non-aligned countries, they hold the power to influence global decisions and alliances, especially in the face of the Sino-American rivalry.

💡Decolonization

Decolonization is a process where countries gain independence from colonial rule. In the video, it is mentioned as one of the key interests that the Non-Aligned Movement and the Global South sought to advance, reflecting a historical context of many Global South countries being former colonies.

💡Intergovernmental Organizations

Intergovernmental organizations are mentioned in the video as platforms through which countries of the Global South assert themselves on the global stage. Examples include the African Union, ASEAN, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which play significant roles in regional cooperation and peacekeeping.

💡New Economic World Order

The 'New Economic World Order' is a concept discussed in the video in relation to the G77 and China's efforts to promote a different economic paradigm. It reflects the aspirations of the Global South to redefine global economic relations and challenge the status quo dominated by the Global North.

💡Non-Alignment

Non-alignment, as discussed in the video, refers to the policy of not formally aligning with or against any major power bloc. It is a strategy used by some Global South countries to maintain their independence and leverage their position in the Sino-American rivalry, as exemplified by India's stance on various international issues.

Highlights

The term 'global South' has gained popularity in recent years, with increased usage in academic articles and media discussions.

The global South was initially visualized by the Brandt Line in 1980, highlighting the disparity between the wealthy North and the impoverished South.

Many countries south of the Brandt Line were former colonies caught in the Cold War dynamics between the US and the Soviet Union.

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), established in 1961, was the first political group to represent the global South's interests.

NAM was successful in advocating for decolonization, disarmament, and better regional relations.

The term 'global South' has seen a resurgence in recent years, particularly in the context of the US-China rivalry.

The global South can be understood as the poorest countries in the world, most of which are located south of the Brandt Line.

Economic shifts have led to some global South countries becoming as rich or richer than some in the global North.

The G77 and China, a coalition of 135 developing countries, is a successor to NAM and works to promote South-South trade and North-South cooperation.

Subgroupings within the G77 and China focus on regional cooperation, such as the African Union, ASEAN, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

The BRICS group, consisting of 10 of the wealthiest G77 countries, has expanded and launched initiatives like the New Development Bank.

The global South sometimes refers to a non-aligned block of countries that do not side with the US or China in the current geopolitical rivalry.

Non-aligned countries in the global South do not necessarily hold anti-Western sentiments but seek to advance their national interests.

The global South's resurgence is a symptom of the geopolitical significance of smaller countries in the face of the US-China rivalry.

Brilliant.org is a platform for learning math, data science, and computer science interactively, with a focus on active learning techniques.

The first 200 users get a 20% discount on Brilliant's annual premium subscription by using the code 'tldr'.

Transcripts

this video is brought to you by

brilliant in the past few years the

global South has become an increasingly

popular turn of phrase the use of the

term in academic articles has risen

exponentially and we've seen endless

headlines talking about what the global

South thinks of Ukraine or Gaza at the

beginning of the year Indian Prime

Minister Narendra Modi even hosted a

virtual voice of global South Summit and

there was a lot of chatter about what

the global South was thinking at the

annual bricks Summit in August

but while politicians and journalists

alike seem pretty comfortable using the

phrase they never really Define it and

it's not really clear where exactly the

global South actually is so in this

video we're going to have a look at the

origins of the global South White it's

become so popular recently and try our

best to figure out what it actually

[Music]

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first what exactly is the global South

and more interestingly where is it well

perhaps the first well-known

visualization of the global South came

in 1980 with the brand line the line is

drawn at roughly 30° latitude intended

to highlight the inequalities between

the wealthy North and the poorest South

most of the country south of the brand

line were former colonies who then found

themselves in the middle of a cold war

between the United States and the Soviet

Union these two major power blocks

sought to one up each other by trying to

gain influence and secure alliances with

these countries either through economic

aid or proxy wars as a result many of

these Global South countries decided to

form a third block to assert their

political and economic interests

independently of the US or the USSR the

non-aligned movement or Nam created in

1961 by the leaders of the former

Yugoslavia India Ghana Indonesia and

Egypt became a platform to advance

Global South interests including

Independence territorial integrity and

anti-imperialism the Nam was perhaps the

first formal political grouping that

explicitly aimed to represent the global

South and it was remarkably successful

in advocating for decolonization

disarmament and better relations within

the region countries generally pursued a

policy of neutrality gaining financial

support from both the US and

USSR however nam's Unity came under

strain over time as the founding leaders

that strongly advocated for

non-alignment were overthrown replaced

or died for instance garan president

quame and kummer was overthrown in

1966 Egyptian president gaml Abdul nassa

died in 1970 and president yosip bro

Tito of Yugoslavia died 10 years later

members began to align more closely with

either power block to suit their own

domestic agendas there are conspicuous

parallels here with the geopolitical

situation today again you've got two

competing geopolitical Powers this time

the US and China trying to win over

global South countries and a reactive

non-aligned block arguably led by India

trying to forge a middleway through the

geopolitical conflict in this conflict

the term Global South has recently

enjoyed a bit of a Resurgence and is now

a popular Shand with journalists and

politicians alike so let's take a look

at what the global South means today and

its role in this new international order

as we see it when commentators talk

about the global South they could be

describing one of three groups firstly

the poorest countries in the world

secondly the g77 Coalition and lastly a

non-aligned block positioning itself

outside of the Brewing Sino American

rivalry so let's get straight into it

firstly the simplest way to understand

what the global South is is essentially

the poorest countries or regions of the

world most of the poorest countries in

the world lie south of the brand line

and if you look at GDP per continent The

Divide between the global North and

South becomes glaringly apparent but if

you look at countries rather than

continents the division becomes a bit

murkier while the poorest countries were

almost invariably in the global South in

the 20th century today many countries

south of the brand line are now as rich

or in some cases richer than many

countries in the global North as the

global South gets richer this definition

will make even less sense while many

Global South economies are struggling 14

out of 15 of the world's poorest

countries for instance are found in

Africa by 2030 three of the four largest

economies China India and Indonesia are

expected to be from the global South

this economic shift has gone hand inhand

with enhanced political visibility with

with countries in the global South

increasingly asserting themselves on the

global scene through intergovernmental

organizations the second way we can

understand the global South is as

shorthand for the intergovernmental g77

and China organization made up of 135

developing countries representing 80% of

the global population and its

subgroupings the g77 and China is sort

of the successor to the Nam working to

promote South South trade and facilitate

north south cooperation while g77 in

China was formed during the Cold War

they've been gaining a lot of political

clout recently for instance in September

g77 and China held a historical Summit

promoting a new economic World Order

amid growing Global

polarization within the g77 there were

various subgroupings with slightly

different aims usually just focused more

on Regional cooperation for instance the

African Union plays a significant role

in peacekeeping in Africa addressing

different Continental Health crises and

dealing with coups in 2023 It joined the

G20 a block made out of the most wealthy

economies in the world giving the Au a

platform to address key issues

concerning African nations such as debt

restructuring other good examples

include the association of Southeast

Asian Nations which has been key in

reducing tensions in global conflict

hotspots such as Myanmar Taiwan and the

South China Sea the organization of

Islamic Co operation subgroup which has

platformed its condemnations of Israel's

genocidal actions in its war against

Hamas in Gaza and the brics group a

group of 10 of the wealthiest g77

countries which expanded in

2024 bricks is often framed as a global

South rival to the G7 and has launched

initiatives like the new development

bank and initiated dollarization talks

finally the term Global South sometimes

seems to refer to a non-aligned block of

country countries who side neither with

the us nor China in the emerging great

power rivalry Western countries

sometimes see this non-alignment as

synonymous with anti-western sentiments

which is why many Western countries were

so irked when certain Global South

countries refused to condemn Putin's

invasion of Ukraine but non-aligned

countries don't necessarily see it the

same way as articulated by India's

foreign minister who said bluntly that

Europe has to grow out of the mindset

that Europe's problems are the world's

problems but the world's problems are

not Europe's problems even though many

non-aligned countries do criticize

Western foreign policy as selective and

inconsistent especially in the wake of

what's happening in Gaza in this sense

the global South's foreign policy isn't

intrinsically

anti-western this is a marked change

from the 20th century when much of the

global South was United by Mutual

anti-western anti-colonial or

revolutionary thought these countries

apparently feel that playing the

superpowers off each other is the best

way to advance their national interests

and they have way more options than they

did during the past two decades of

American hegemony where the West was

really their only option to gain major

advantages in trade and Aid so those are

the main three things that people might

mean when they use the term Global South

as you can probably see these three

different definitions don't overlap

perfectly the g77 which is probably the

broadest category doesn't really have

any unifying features there were rich

countries in the group like Qatar

explicitly pro- us countries like

Thailand and explicitly pro-china

countries like well China the lines

between the global North and Global

South will probably continue to blur as

National economies converge and the

geopolitical Rivalry between China and

the US heats up ultimately the idea of a

global South probably isn't as coherent

today as it was when it first emerged in

the middle of the 20 th century and it's

often used by politicians as a

rhetorical tool to imply that another

country is out of touch with global

opinion nonetheless even if the global

South can't be easily pinpointed the

fact that the term has enjoyed such a

Resurgence recently is perhaps a symptom

of the fact that as the geopolitical

Rivalry between the us and what we might

describe as the sinor Russian axis heats

up these smaller non-aligned countries

have developed a newfound geopolitical

significance as sort of the Swing voters

of the International Community as we

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