In June, seven of the world’s most influential government leaders met in Germany for the
2015 G7 summit.
The group discussed major geopolitical issues including terrorism and sanctions against
Russia.
So how powerful is the G7?
First, its origins: the “Group of Seven”, started out as the “Group of Six”, back
in 1975, but it’s not considered a formal institution, and has no formal charter.
In the beginning, the G6 included: the US, the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Japan,
which were some of the wealthiest countries at the time.
They called their first meeting to discuss the looming global oil crisis, but its membership
and discussions have fluctuated over time.
Canada was added in 1976, The European Commission has been continuously present since 1981.
And Russia was added in 1998, then suspended for invading Ukraine in 2014 - so membership
can be lost or gained.
Nothing guarantees it.
What has remained consistent, is the group’s influence: G7 members collectively represent
nearly half of the world’s total GDP.
This powerhouse meets for two days every year in a series of private meetings and public
media briefings.
Most recently, the G7 was criticized after its “Think ahead, act together” 2015 summit,
for ending with mere “COMMITMENTS” to progress, rather than any tangible solutions.
Although, to be fair, the G7 leaders are not required to make concrete plans.
Still, they agreed to extend sanctions against Russia, phase out fossil fuels by the end
of the century, and end extreme poverty and terrorism.
However, critics note that the success of these commitments hinge on whether the G7
leaders can implement them on a global scale.
The other major point of criticism of the G7 is its seeming reluctance to include other
major countries in the talks - particularly China and Russia.
This has caused many to question their overall effectiveness or relevance.
Because member countries represent only 10.5% of the world’s population, some view G7
politicians as an elite minority governing an underrepresented majority.
Nations like India and Brazil have even surpassed some G7 members in GDP, yet still have not
been able to join.
And the opposition has become quite vocal - including Brazil’s former president who
in 2008 remarked that “the G8 doesn’t have any more reason to exist”.
So how powerful is the G7?
Well, despite their superpower roster, their effectiveness as an organization remains unclear.
Their use of vague “commitments” and the lack of representation makes it questionable
whether the organization can effect any real change.
But they have been able to support democracy throughout the world through financial aid
and the use of sanctions.
One could argue that the G7s true power lies in the super power’s potential for effecting
significant global progress, should they choose to exercise it.
The UN may be a huge organization with just about every country on the planet as a member,
but are they really that powerful?
Check out our video here to learn all about it.
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