In his forecast for the next 10-40 years, Jim O’Neill of Goldman Sachs defies the critics of Russia’s continued membership of the Bric team and it’s future economic growth: Russia doesn’t need dramatic growth rates. It just needs to avoid crises.

Russia is often singled out as the Bric country that doesn’t belong in the Brics. Critics say that with its aging population, dependence on oil and gas and widespread corruption, it’s not in the same league as its dynamic rivals – Brazil, India and China

Jim O’Neill, the Brics’ inventor, disagrees. In The Growth Map, a book marking the 10th anniversary of his coining of the acronym, he rejects suggestions that Russia should be dropped from the team. He argues, in his characteristically forthright way, that in terms of GDP her head, Russia has the potential to beat not just the other Brics but “all other European countries” – and join the European Union.

Few countries with per head incomes of more than $10,000 a year survives as autocratic/authoritarian/totalitarian nations except for oil exporters. Charles Robertson of Renaissance Capital boldly predicts China could be a democracy by 2017:

China, on about $7,500 and growing fast, is approaching the income level when democratic change often begins. There are powerful arguments about why both countries might be permanent exceptions to the democracy rule.

Ten years ago Jim O’Neill of Goldman Sachs predicted the four growth economies – Brazil, China, India and Russia together would lead the World’s economic development. And he was right:

A quick look at the MSCI indices for the four Brics since 2001 shows that they have comfortably outperformed the S&P 500. If you invested $100 at the time of O’Neill’s report in November 2001 in each of the four Brics, you would now have $674 from Brazil, $451 from China, $459 from India and $414 from Russia. Your 100 S&P bucks? Worth $112.

The emerging world, long a source of cheap labour, now rivals the rich countries for business innovation, says S.D. Shibulal, CEO of Infosys:

In recent years China and India have led the way in becoming the new hubs for growth, innovation and talent. They produce close to 700,000 engineers every year. The availability of such a large pool of talent is the much needed fuel to power the growth of industries across sectors in these countries. This has been complemented by the presence of a large middle-class population (160m in India and 230m in China) with rising disposable incomes. China and India are also challenging Western domination as the global innovation and R&D hub, rubbing shoulders with historic giants in global innovation indices. The road ahead for the Bric countries looks extremely promising.

The Bric acronym celebrates it’s 10th anniversary. The world as we know it today is quite different from what it was a decade ago. To sustain growth, the world’s poor must be included in the development, as S.D. Shibulal, CEO of Infosys puts it:

[...] the biggest challenge that faces the Bric countries is quite unique in that they are countries of contradiction. Countries like India and China in particular, despite leading the Bric growth story, are no different. Take a look at India. It has had average growth of 8 to 8.5 per cent in recent years – but over 300m people still live below the poverty line. It produces over 3m graduates every year from its pool of 480 universities and 22,000 colleges. Despite this, 35 per cent of the world’s illiterate people are in India. Furthermore, over 8m children are still out of school and 240m children are not a part of the schooling system. There are 100m internet users in a country where only 12.5m have broadband. There are also over 600m mobile phone subscribers in India. Despite this level of technology penetration, India ranks 50th in financial inclusion globally.

‘The Brazilian Dream‘ (O Sonho Brasileiro) is a qualitative study of the young generation Brazilians, with focus on their dreams and desires.

Thiago in front of the community center Casa da Mulher (Women’s House) which also facilitates União Sampaio.’The Brazilian Dream‘ (O Sonho Brasileiro) is a qualitative study of the young generation Brazilians, with focus on their dreams and desires.

‘The Brazilian Dream‘ (O Sonho Brasileiro) is a qualitative study of the young generation Brazilians, with focus on their dreams and desires.

‘The Brazilian Dream‘ (O Sonho Brasileiro) is a qualitative study of the young generation Brazilians, with focus on their dreams and desires.

‘The Brazilian Dream‘ (O Sonho Brasileiro) is a qualitative study of the young generation Brazilians, with focus on their dreams and desires.