Listen to this article:

As the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) 56th Annual Meeting convenes in Davos from 19-23 January 2026 under the theme “A Spirit of Dialogue”, a profound legitimacy crisis confronts the gathering itself. Nearly 3,000 leaders – predominantly from the ranks of the ultra-wealthy, corporate titans, heads of state and financial heavyweights – assemble in luxury to discuss escalating global perils.

Yet the very structure of the forum, with its exorbitant membership fees and elite composition, widens the chasm between these “Davos Men” and the world’s peoples. Critics have long denounced this as corporate capture of global governance, where the powerful network in the Alps while ordinary citizens grapple with the consequences of the systems they sustain.

The WEF’s own Global Risks Report 2026, informed by over 1,300 experts, starkly illustrates the fallout. It describes an emerging “Age of Competition” marked by fragmentation, where “societal polarisation” ranks fourth among immediate risks for 2026, selected by 7% of respondents, fuelled by deepening disillusionment with traditional governance.

The report highlights “streets versus elites” narratives reflecting widespread exclusion from decision-making, eroding public trust and intensifying pressures on democratic systems.

Illustration: Pariplab Chakraborty.

Inequality, interconnected with other risks and ranked seventh over two and ten years, exacerbates these divides as social mobility falters amid economic shocks and technological disruption.

Half of respondents foresee a........

© The Wire