What we learned in Davos

Takeaways from a mile above sea-level

Davos demonstrated that India can deliver, notes Arun Jaitley. Rishad Tobaccowala witnessed the rise of Alibaba, blockchain, and optimism on America. UN climate chief Christiana Figueres’ Davos experience proved we have the right tools to meet the climate challenge. Whilst Richard Edelman sees “people and business stepping inwhere government is failing.” And new Forum arrival Anders Borg has three takeaways: “the tech community is optimistic … the geopolitical people are deeply worried … the economic crowd is in better shape, but has an itchy feeling that things could go wrong if we are not careful.”

In case you missed it at Davos: “Democracy must be our answer to terrorism”: Angela Merkel leads our round-up of 27 key quotes, Jack Ma reveals his business secrets, and 2015 will be the year emerging markets make up half of global GDP – plus other insights on the economy.

The impact of CO2 on our environment. Al Gore explains the link between emissions and global temperatures in this video.

How France will reform. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls on plans to re-energise the world’s fifth largest economy for global competition.

Two real roadblocks to reform in China. Keyu Jin on the difficulties of implementing sweeping changes.

Can quantitative easing save the global economy? Yes, argues Jeffery Sachs. No, replies Stephen Roach. Weigh their arguments for yourself.

10 global challenges, 10 expert views. What Davos participants had to say about the most pressing issues for 2015 and beyond. And our 20 minute podcast, rounding up the issues, ideas and identities of Davos 2015 [audio].

The World Economic Forum in the news

Why the world is worried about 2015. A view from Davos, “the best place on earth to get a sense of what global decisionmakers will be thinking about in the year ahead.” (Time)

Insights and lessons from #WEF15. (BDLive, BizNews, Daily Times, Financial News, FT, Hürriyet, NST, Straits Times, The Hindu, USA Today, WSJ)

Defending the free market in Davos. One of the authors of The Second Machine Age encounters Europeans. They “seemed to believe much more strongly in government planning, programmes, and protections as the best way to ensure good jobs and wages.” (FT)

Is there a diversity dividend? It matters who’s at the top. (BBC)

Compared to other nations, the US lags in promoting women leaders. (Fortune)

The power women of Davos. “It’s clear that the influence of women – across multiple spheres – is expanding by leaps and bounds – whether it’s in the boardroom, the political arena or on the global stage.” (Forbes)

On our radar

Productivity of high-income countries in the long run. “[I]f output per hour isn’t rising and the size of the economic pie (per person) isn’t rising, then we move closer to [a] zero-sum society.”

Institutions and economic growth: lessons from history. Neither parliaments nor private property rights alone explain the last half millennium of economic growth. “We can definitively rule out…hypotheses which claim that some specific, singular institutionplayed a key causal role in economic growth.”

Is democracy in decline? “[T]he prospects for democracy have been much better under the protection of a liberal world order, supported and defended by a democratic superpower or by a collection of democratic great powers.”

Money buys happiness and health. Poorer people tend to do worse on a range of indicators than the better off, including health and well-being. But would more money make a difference? “There is strong evidence that additional financial resources in adulthood make people happier and reduce mental health problems.”

Greece’s new finance minister is an economics professor. And also a keen blogger.

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