EDITORIAL: The evolution of Davos Man
Globalisiation and the tectonic shifts in geopolitical power give rise to a new breed of Davos Man
Almost since it began in 1971, the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, has attracted scepticism, irony, ire and anger. The critics are back in force in 2017. The arguments against the institution and the event (which begins on Tuesday) have varied, but typically include a common thread: elitism. In its own perception, the meeting of 2,500 business leaders, international political leaders, selected intellectuals and journalists is self-consciously well-meaning and benign; it is simply an attempt to bring together the world’s most influential people to discuss the world’s most pressing problems. What could be more sensible than that? The basic logistics belie that intention. It’s massively expensive; it takes place in one of the most exclusive places on Earth, the Swiss Alps; getting invited is no cinch; and the whole atmosphere is profoundly exclusive. No surprise then that Harvard social scientist Samuel Huntington castigated not only the event but the type of person involve...
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