Regional associations in global economy

The present article deals with the current state, interrelations and prospects for the development of key regional associations of global economy. It defines main factors of development of regional associations in the latter half of the 20th century — at the dawn of the 21st century: the end of the Second World War; implementation of information and communication technologies; the end of cold war between capitalist and socialist countries. The article also covers the issue of leading role of the USA in the initiating and development of integration processes in Europe and Asia. It emphasizes the role of «Marshall Plan» in the development of integration processes and in the achievement of status of primary currency of international settlements by the American national currency, US dollar. It is being noted that the influence of the USA on African, Latin American and Asian countries was greatly promoted due to loss of colonies by West European countries as a result of national liberation struggle. The article also reveals the connection between integration processes and the establishment of two military and political blocks — in capitalist and socialist countries, NATO and Warsaw Pact Organization. Nineteen regional and trans-regional associations forming the basis of global economic system at the dawn of the 21st century were selected and analyzed. The associations being investigated include thirteen regional integration associations established on the basis of regional trade agreements on creation of free trade zone belonging to the continents of Eurasia, North and Latin America, Africa; inter-governmental organization SCO; trans-regional integration associations TPP, RCEP and T-TIP, transcontinental associations APEC and BRICS. NAFTA is a most powerful association; EU is the most developed; maintenance of leading role of the USA in global economy and consolidation of role of PRC, India, EU and Brazil, as well as aggravation of competition between the USA and China in their influence on Asian, Latin American and African countries is observed. On the one part, transcontinental associations TPP, T-TIP and APEC were established for the purpose of furtherance of interests of the USA, consolidation of their leading role in global economy, while, on the other part, the trans-regional association RCEP and global initiative «One belt, one road» were established for consolidation of position of PRC. BRICS project implements the interests of leading countries of three continents in their relations with USA and EU, for optimization of which the system of consensual regulation of global economy. The article accentuates that for the purpose of prevention of conflicts and collisions it is necessary to pivot from the existing ideology of maximization of satisfaction of material needs that will always lead to rise in inequality due to lack of availability of resources for production of goods and services.