Wouldn’t it be neat if there was a gathering – a forum, let’s call it – with the singular purpose of trying to bridle the neoliberal world market into a force of productive and sustainable good? Wouldn’t that be cool? I mean, they say that the world is run by The Market these days, and no single one entity, corporate or government, can turn the grinding wheel away from mutually assured destruction. But wouldn’t it be just nifty if we could gather all those entities in one room, for, let’s say, one week, to just come together like decent human fucking beings and find a solid agreement on the basis of 50 year old common knowledge to stop mucking it up?
Wouldn’t that be nice…
This week, last night in fact, saw the opening of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Just such a gathering of market forces for the distinct purpose of coming together to try and put a leash on capitalism.
At least, that’s what the marketing tells us.
Everyone will be there! From politicians to moguls; all the social classes (that matter). 2’700 business- and government leaders outta two thirds of the world’s countries. All ready to buckle down to finally put a break on the Sixth Mass Extinction before the seas and fires and droughts swallow us all.
Well, everyone isn’t going to be there. While the ageing hegemon the United States of the Americas has sent a few representatives, neither Russia or China, or India or Brazil for that matter, have bothered to show up. Instead, we have neocolonialist institutions like the IMF in attendance.
I snark, and rightfully so. In the Forum’s past, the summit was cast as a luxury vacation for Europe’s business elite. In recent years, the forum has had the dubious judgement to condemn condemnation of the Israeli apartheid state. Not to mention that they brought authoritarian and genocidal despots such as China’s Xi Jinping, India’s Narendra Modi, and Brazil’s Jair Bolsanaro as keynote speakers. Y’know, all famous reformists with staunch track records of transparency, sustainability, and egalitarian ideals.
No, the World Economic Forum in Davos has never been a saviour. But it could be. Not only could be, but under the current paradigm of unassailable golden-calf-capitalism, it may be the only saviour available. Most of the world’s leading businesses, banks, and government Thrones, all gathered in one room (well, in one ski resort and conference centre), all telling us “be not afraid”, would in any sane world mean a spark of hope. If anyone can solve the problems of a failing world, it would be these Powers, with the majority of the world’s resources behind them. Non?
But they won’t. Because it was these exact tossers that built, over the span of the past century, this religion of the coin. They’re not there to solve problems, but to profit off of them. But wouldn’t it be neat if it was otherwise, eh?
/Sebastian Lindberg 17/1-2023
WastedWords 