Is it just me or is the idea of the world's bankers and the CEOs of multinational corporations deciding our collective future like something out of an Orwell novel? And how pretentious to believe that 2,500 representatives (60 percent were business executives) of the developed nations and all of their financial trappings can be considered "the World." I have been trying for the last several days to find out more about the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. I can glean lots of spoon fed information on the official World Economic Forum website.

Seems that most talk centered on the slowdown in the US economy, with a side of climate change discussion. Any way you look at most of what went on at Davos 08, it doesn't seem to be good news. Much like climate change, when the economy tanks, poor people suffer more. And it bothers me that it is those same huge banks that pushed subprime mortgages up to become 20% of all mortgages, that are the ones who are now worried about the poor all of a sudden. I tend to look at events like Davos as public relations opportunities. That, and networking. So in an effort to prove myself wrong, I did a little research. I was able to read and view a few blog posts on the BBC's website and Reuters as well. Maybe I should point out that Reuters is a "strategic partner" in the WEF. What is a strategic partner you ask?

Strategic Partners are select member companies of the World Economic Forum who strongly support the Forum's commitment to improve the state of the world. They are actively involved in the Foundation’s endeavours at the global, regional and industry levels. They contribute their expertise and resources at the highest level in order to advance worldwide economic and social progress. -- WEF website

Oh, wait, Reuters is also an "Industry Partner."

Industry Partners are select member companies of the World Economic Forum who strongly support the Forum's commitment to improve the state of the world. The Industry Partnership leverages the unparalleled convening power of the Forum in a unique way, bringing together select Members of the Forum through a series of integrated modules throughout the year. The Industry Partnership will facilitate strategic decision-making for its participants by providing privileged access to industry-specific and cross-industry insights.-- WEF website

Davos, Switzerland

Ok, to me, the first description doesn't really tell me much, and the second tells me that if you are a member of the WEF club you will get a special secret transcoder ring to figure out what the rhetoric of the WEF means... or it means that you as an Industry Partner will get to network and hobnob with those who have all the money, i.e. power. True, it's true, that I am a bit of a sceptic. I tend to distrust the corporations and believe that most governmental figures are somehow in cahoots with those same corporations. When you read the news as much as I do, it is hard not to be sceptical of corporations and government ministers working hand in hand to achieve "collaborative innovation." So of course, I would like to know exactly what the WEF does. The more I look into it, the more I see that the WEF represents the richest of the rich and presents studies that support them. Or tries to present studies that support them. Maybe I am being too hard on the WEF. Truthfully, I am not sure if the WEF really does anything at all, other than present new studies year after year. Seems more like a good excuse to hole up in a Swiss ski resort for a weekend and maybe carve up a little more market share for your company. Although, if I am learning anything about the 2008 WEF it is this: The US is no longer the biggest player in the game. Don't get me wrong. The US is still the talk of the town, but now it's more like the US is the homecoming queen that got knocked-up kind of talk, as in "What do we all do about it?" Globalization and increased personal debt, or better put, excessive consumerism, seems to have undermined the US's grasp and domination of the global economy. In fact, in light of the now finally admitted recession in the US, it seems like every country in the world (or at least the countries represented at the WEF) wants to try and distance itself from the economic downturn in the US.

Whether the U.S. economy is heading toward recession — or just slowing down — and the likely impact on the rest of the world was the subject of intense discussion, with much speculation on whether Asia's two giants, China and India, would be able to absorb some of the shock. "I am optimistic about the future," Wang Jianzhou, chairman and CEO of China Mobile Communications Corp., told Sunday's closing session. "If there is the recession in the world, generally speaking it will have an impact on China, but I don't think it will be very big." There would be a reduction in Chinese exports, said Wang, whose company now has 370 million subscribers, "but we still have very, very strong domestic consumption." "The decoupling has started," K.V. Kamath, managing director and CEO of India's ICICI Bank, said, "but I think the U.S. is still center stage. Maybe it has shifted slightly, but it has not gone offstage." -- MSNBC

Highlights from Davos 2008 include:

• Microsoft's Bill Gates calling for "creative capitalism" to end poverty and hunger. Now, why didn't I think of that?
• A group of "world leaders" are calling for action to achieve action on poverty. Yeah, I wrote that correctly. No real action seems to be involved other than calling for action. But then again, calling is a verb and therefore an action.
• US Secretary of State Condaleeza Rice had to defend US actions in the Middle East. But she also mentioned that the US is ready to do something about climate change. Like start a committee to commence discussion on the possibility that maybe the US should something about climate change. Hey, it's a start.
• Japan is funding developing countries that are serious about cutting carbon emissions. I already complained about this one. Check out the link if you missed it.

I tend to think that Davos is just another posh way for corporations to assuage their guilt over exploiting the working poor and the world's natural resources while racking up huge bonuses for their top execs -- what am I talking about? What guilt? Even some of the Davos-participating NGO's admit that the WEF is most likely an exercise in exclusivity. From Amnesty International:

Judit Arenas, advisor to the Secretary General gives an insight into the real conversations happening in Davos, which occur outside the meetings, in coffee shops and corridors: "The World Economic Forum in Davos is by now well underway and the key question Amnesty International keeps getting is 'why are you here?' "The answer is simple: we firmly believe in talking to those that can take steps to improve human rights. And in today's world this means not just governments, but also companies. "But, sadly, the World Economic Forum is far from being a multi-stakeholder initiative where all the stakeholders are equal and many of the global issues are still sorely lacking in representation on the formal agenda." -- Amnesty International website

On the flip side of the World Economic Forum, if bankers and private equity managers are not your cup of tea, you could always have popped over to a World Social Forum event. The WSF events are smaller and located worldwide, so if you lost your hotel reservation in Davos to Henry Kissinger or Al Gore, you may find that a more "democratic" forum is to your liking.

The World Social Forum is an open meeting place where social movements, networks, NGOs and other civil society organizations opposed to neo-liberalism and a world dominated by capital or by any form of imperialism come together to pursue their thinking, to debate ideas democratically, for formulate proposals, share their experiences freely and network for effective action. Since the first world encounter in 2001, it has taken the form of a permanent world process seeking and building alternatives to neo-liberal policies. This definition is in its Charter of Principles, the WSF’s guiding document. The World Social Forum is also characterized by plurality and diversity, is non-confessional, non-governmental and non-party. It proposes to facilitate decentralized coordination and networking among organizations engaged in concrete action towards building another world, at any level from the local to the international, but it does not intend to be a body representing world civil society. The World Social Forum is not a group nor an organization. -- World Social Forum website

It is no mistake that the World Social Forum takes place over the same weekend as Davos. It is a response to the corporate imperialists of the World Economic Forum. Again, other than a protest that gets very little, if any, media attention, does the World Social Forum accomplish anything? Prove me wrong, please.