The rise of Russia and Venezuela as challengers to the unipolar system

Abstract

Russia and Venezuela began the 1990s as bandwagoning states. Russia, as a diminished great power, sought entry into the international system among the western-centered great power club, while Venezuela, as a small power, was nestled firmly within the system. However, by the end of the decade both Russia and Venezuela began to chafe under the unipolar power structure of the system as well as the rules of the international system, especially the international economic regime. The 1998 Asian Financial Crisis served as a watershed whereby both states began to rethink their relationships with the unipolar power structure. The 2000s saw both Russia and Venezuela rise in international position due to an increase in economic, diplomatic, soft and regional power. Although Russia became a re-emerging power while Venezuela became a regional power – and thus had differing levels of capabilities and international positions – both states increasingly balanced the international power structure. Especially after the 2003 Anglo-American War in Iraq, both Russia and Venezuela sought to use multilateralism and the formulation of strategic partnerships to replace the unipolar system with multipolarity as well as to alter the international institutions and the rules created therein.