Abstract
From 1992 to 2014, the international trade network suffered important changes, in particular the consolidation of the USA and China as “global centers”. On the other hand, during all those years, no South American country became a part of the “core” of the global trade network. Understanding this context, the present study focuses on the role played by South America in an evolving global trade network, using alternative indicators to those commonly proposed by networks’ theory. We also evaluate South America’s integration efforts represented by four regional trade-blocs: the CAN, the ALBA, the MERCOSUR, and the UNASUR. From the country level, we conclude that Brazil has become a “sub-core” in South America, at the same time that the USA and China compete to gain more influence in the region. From the bloc level, we found that the MERCOSUR presents the most favorable results, while the CAN and the ALBA have several problems.
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- 1.
The maximum value this index could reach is 144 (the number of all the countries that are part of the network minus one). A country can have, at a minimum, the first highest relevance spot (145–144=1).
- 2.
At the time these calculations were made, 2014 data for Venezuela was not available.
- 3.
NAFTA includes Canada, the USA, and Mexico. The free trade agreement between these countries became valid in 1994.
- 4.
The ASEAN was created in 1967 and is comprised of ten member countries: Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines.
- 5.
The African Union was formed by 54 African countries and has been functioning since 2001. It includes almost all of the countries of the African continent, excluding Morocco.
- 6.
For the CAN indicators, Venezuela is considered until 2006, when it withdrew from the group.
- 7.
Current members include Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia , Cuba, Dominica, Ecuador , Grenada, Nicaragua, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Venezuela .
- 8.
- 9.
Although Mexico is not a South American country, it is part of the AP and, as such, is part of the analysis for comparative purposes.
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Pérez-Oviedo, W., Cajas-Guijarro, J., Vallejo, M.C. (2018). South America: Trade and Integration in the New Global Trade Network. In: Vivares, E. (eds) Regionalism, Development and the Post-Commodities Boom in South America. International Political Economy Series. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62551-5_6
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