Globalization At Davos: What Happened?

The World Economic Forum sounds like it should be a gathering of nerdy people in discounted suits in a mid-range hotel in an off-season resort, all standing around drinking Two-Buck Chuck and discussing wonky things like cost-benefit analysis and market-driven incentives.

In fact, it's exactly the reverse. The WEF in Davos has become an annual event where the rich and famous descend on one of the most expensive winter resorts in the world, in the middle of the ski season. Heads of state rub shoulders with movie stars, sip on expensive champagne, and eat fancy hors d'oeuvres and pontificate in front of the paparazzi about their pet global issues of the day.

Or that's what it can seem like to outsiders. But it's that what really happens at Davos? We asked NPRs Gregory Warner, who's been hanging out there this last week.

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