THE QUANTIFICATION OF THE POWER POTENTIAL OF THE BRICS COUNTRIES IN THE GLOBAL CONTEXT

The aim of this article is to provide the analysis of the current position of the BRICS countries in the global power hierarchy in order to extend theoretical considerations about their real power. The article is divided into two main parts - the first part is devoted to theoretical and methodological background of the research problems; the second part presents detailed analysis of the position of the BRICS countries in the global power hierarchy on the basis of selected research approaches. Though various approaches perceive the particular arrangement of states in the power hierarchy differently and they differ in their methods of quantification of power potential of countries and in projections of the future international order, the vast majority of them expect gradual transition to multipolarity, erosion of the U.S. dominance, emergence of new players among the most powerful countries and growing power potential of the BRICS (or BICS) countries.