‘Experts’ have been taken to task for being ‘close focussed’, thinking only of their own area and not connecting with the wider world. If infrastructure decisions are to improve our world, they need to take in the wider context. How difficult this will be is, I think, indicated in the following statement of purpose for the World Economic Forum that begins this week in Davos.
Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World
“The global context has changed dramatically: geostrategic fissures have re-emerged on multiple fronts with wide-ranging political, economic and social consequences. Realpolitik is no longer just a relic of the Cold War. Economic prosperity and social cohesion are not one and the same. The global commons cannot protect or heal itself.
Politically, new and divisive narratives are transforming governance. Economically, policies are being formulated to preserve the benefits of global integration while limiting shared obligations such as sustainable development, inclusive growth and managing the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Socially, citizens yearn for responsive leadership; yet, a collective purpose remains elusive despite ever-expanding social networks. All the while, the social contract between states and their citizens continues to erode.
The 48th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting therefore aims to rededicate leaders from all walks of life to developing a shared narrative to improve the state of the world. The programme, initiatives and projects of the meeting are focused on Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World. By coming together at the start of the year, we can shape the future by joining this unparalleled global effort in co-design, co-creation and collaboration. The programme’s depth and breadth make it a true summit of summits.”
It saddens me to say this but I have grave doubts about the capacity of global leaders to work together to create a shared future. These people are politicians and it is likely that only a few of them are ‘statespersons’. Those few ‘statespersons’ might work together for a shared future but if we look at the leaders of many nations, their goal is to cling to power, exploiting any means – whether economic, nationalistic, religion etc. – to do so.
I would be ecstatic to be proved wrong!
All the evidence suggests that you are unlikely to be proven wrong, which leaves us with an important question: If this important job is not to be done by those at the top, then how?