The World Economic Forum (WEF) and its founder, Klaus Schwab, have come under scrutiny for fostering cronyism and elitism, with concerns raised about the organization's future after Schwab. Critics argue that WEF has become an exclusive networking club for the mega-rich and super-powerful, perpetuating an unaccountable system that doesn't reflect the needs of all society. The organization's invite-only policy to its annual event has also drawn criticism, as well as its calls for a greener global economy juxtaposed with the use of private jets emitting high levels of carbon. Additionally, Schwab's association with the global elite and the concept of "the Great Reset" have sparked controversy amid widening wealth disparities.
The annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos will feature a mix of leaders, business titans, and controversial figures, including Argentine President Javier Milei, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Jared Kushner, founder of Affinity Partners, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Chinese Premier Li Qiang. The guest list also includes Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, Hungarian President Katalin Novák, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani, Polish President Andrzej Duda, and Amin Nasser, CEO of Aramco.
The World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, titled "Rebuilding Trust," will run from Jan. 14-19, with a focus on geopolitical tensions, global trade concerns, inflation, economic growth, the war in Ukraine, and technological change. Notable attendees include China's Li Qiang, French President Emmanuel Macron, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The event will also feature discussions led by international figures from the business world, global economy, international bodies, and civil society groups.
A conspiracy theory alleging that a shadowy global elite conspires to control the world's population, in part by forcing them to eat insects, is being cited by politicians in several countries. The idea of including insects in human food has been an emerging idea among climate scientists and food security experts, but for those who espouse the conspiracy theory, eating bugs is framed as a matter of individual freedom and government control. The theory has fused with an amorphous and shapeshifting conspiracy theory in which a shadowy global elite conspires to control the world's population.
