The World Economic Forum (WEF) today prides itself on being a space for egalitarian exchange between the different States of the planet, it is important to remember that its roots are indeed anchored in the American imperialist doctrine born from the Cold War. Created in 1971 by the liberal economist Klaus Schwab, the Davos Forum’s primary goal is to bring together the leaders of large European companies to teach them American management doctrines. While the models of theUSSRYugoslavia and the social democrats are gaining popularity in the West, it is thus a question of improving the image of the liberal economy by importing the vision of the “American dream”.
The WEF took a more political turn following the oil crises of the 1970s and the first war between the Arab states and Israel. More and more leaders are being invited to this meeting to safeguard American commercial interests. From a meeting of business leaders, it transformed into a political-economic conglomerate seeking to maintain an economic system advantageous to certain dominant states.
Because although the Davos Forum has always sought to sell itself as a high mass of wealthy philanthropists and enlightened leaders, the opposite is happening behind the scenes. In 2008, while the subprime crisis was bringing down millions of workers around the world, Bill Gates gave a speech on “creative capitalism”, a model promoting entrepreneurship capable of generating profit while solving the problems. problems of the population. At a time when thousands of demonstrators are demanding state regulation of banking institutions operating as a state within a state, the WEF is content to brandish empty slogans and ask the bosses to also think about the common good.
But other communication operations have indeed succeeded in achieving their objective. Like any institution defending free trade, the WEF has been able to adapt to the social changes of the 21ste century. Far from being threatened by climate defense movements, the Davos Forum has modified its discourse and its façade practices to show a greener face. The 2020 edition, for example, was placed under the sign of “climate justice”, a simulacrum allowing them to put a green varnish on most of their conferences and round tables. Except that behind the scenes, the WEF always serves the same objective: to bring together the leaders of world powers and the bosses to ensure their joint interests. Despite their speeches, no change in the interests of workers has come from the quiet corridors of Davos.
Today, few people still believe in the benevolent nature of WEF. The distinguished guests of the 2025 edition prove it. Between Javier Milei, Argentinian president and frenzied neoliberal selling his country to the highest bidder, and Donald Trump, the face of a forum promoting a “more humane capitalism” belongs to the past. It must be considered for what it is: a consortium of potentates, claiming the right to decide the destiny of humanity in the calm of the Grisons mountains.
-Paradoxically, the mobilization against WEF has experienced a steady decline since the beginning of the 2000s. The anti-globalization movements of the beginning of the millennium have run out of steam, and the themes linked to them are no longer as central in the discourses of the left. This loss of balance of power is insidious, because it leaves the field open to reactionary and conspiratorial voices accusing the Forum of being a “globalist” congress and allowing them to unfold a racist, anti-Semitic and fascistic discourse.
If the anti-mobilizationsWEF have never stopped in German Switzerland, this theme has been completely deserted by the French-speaking Swiss left for several years, which is ironic when we know that the seat of the WEF is located in the Geneva commune of Cologny.
But all is not lost. The success of the mobilization on Saturday January 18 in Bern proves it. In Switzerland, in the very heart of “the calm hinterland of capitalism”, there are numerous revolutionary movements capable of rebuilding a solid front against capitalism. WEF. It is now up to us to make the leaders of imperialist states and economic tycoons understand that we will never be complacent with their annual meeting.
Red Line, January 2025
