Davos: An Exercise in Excess and Distraction

This year marked the 12th World Economic Forum, a gathering of the wealthy and powerful focused on highlighting global issues…or something. Looking through the WEF itinerary gives a vague notion that the event centers on world issues such as global warming, income inequality, and nuclear war. Unfortunately, the agenda, along with the rest of the WEF publications and interviews, give little indication of what exactly is being planned for these ever more pressing issues.

Though the event seems to focus on democracy, it comes on the heels of The Forum of China and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, one of many Chinese-led gatherings specifically aimed to curb preference from smaller countries away from Western nations.

Further, the WEF was used by all, Trudeau included, as a forum to promote increased free trade, a policy which comes under continual fire for weakening job markets and focusing economic control to wealthy multi-national corporations.

Of course, free-trade-dressed-as-democracy is nothing new. Apparently touting our successes while every statistic indicates failure apparently isn’t either. For the 12th year in a row, Freedom House has reported a net decline in global civil liberties and political rights.

All stats from http://nationalpost.com/opinion/terry-glavin-as-the-world-burns-and-democracy-dies-our-leaders-party-in-davos