WEF - Conspiracy Theory?

[Lazyusername]

Every so often, someone in comments will mention the WEF and a torrent of responses follows; memes of tinfoil hat-wearers, insults etc.

I'm very interested in politics; I read around all of the papers, news sites etc.
From what I understand there are valid reasons for people to be concerned about the WEF. I want to post some FACTS, along with sources, about the WEF and then I would love to hear what other people think. If I am a "conspiracy nut" for having concerns and thinking the public should know much more about this then please enlighten me.

The WEF exists. Here is its website.
The World Economic Forum (weforum.org)
It holds meetings at Davos each year. Members consist of politicians, owners of corporations & social media and others.
The WEF was created by Klaus Schwab. He is the Chairman of the WEF.
Klaus Schwab - Wikipedia
He wrote a book called Covid 19, the Great Reset. It is currently available on Amazon. I have read it. It calls for the opportunity which has arisen through the pandemic to be used to change the way the world is run, bringing in a system of "stakeholder capitalism". In this system, democracy becomes of lesser importance and decisions are taken by corporations in conjunction with the UN.
You can read a more complex explanation here:
Conspiracy theories aside, there is something fishy about the Great Reset - resilience
The WEF have a programme of "Young Global Leaders". You can read about them here on the WEF's own site:
What are Young Global Leaders and what impact can they have? | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)
Young global leaders have included Angela Merkel, Tony Blair, Emanuel Macron, Jacinda Ardern, Justin Trudeau and many more.
In 2017 Klaus Schwab stated on video that the WEF had "penetrated the Cabinets" of governments around the world and that over half of Canada's Government, including Trudeau were Young Global Leaders.

(1:08:30) You can see MP's profiles on the WEF website by searching their name followed by WEF. Some are there. Some are not. Sunak and Starmer are both listed. Starmer is on video saying he prefers Davos to Westminster. The WEF Wikepedia page states: In May 2020, the WEF and the Prince of Wales's Sustainable Markets Initiative launched "The Great Reset" project, a five-point plan to enhance sustainable economic growth following the global recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.[128] "The Great Reset" was to be the theme of WEF's annual meeting in August 2021. The forum defines the system that it wants to create as "Stakeholder Capitalism". The Transnational Institute describes the World Economic Forum's main purpose as being "to function as a socializing institution for the emerging global elite, globalization's "Mafiocracy" of bankers, industrialists, oligarchs, technocrats and politicians. They promote common ideas, and serve common interests: their own." According to the European Parliament's think tank, critics see the WEF as an instrument for political and business leaders to "take decisions without having to account to their electorate or shareholders".[163] Since 2009, the WEF has been working on a project called the Global Redesign Initiative (GRI), which proposes a transition away from intergovernmental decision-making towards a system of multi-stakeholder governance. According to the Transnational Institute (TNI), the Forum is hence planning to replace a recognised democratic model with a model where a self-selected group of "stakeholders" make decisions on behalf of the people.

I could go on (I realise I already have 🙂) but I'm saying I don't remember any of us being consulted about having democracy taken away so we could be ruled by corporations. This is not about anti-vaxx, lizard people or anything else. As far as I can see this is a very serious affront to our freedom and democracy. AIBU?

"It calls for the opportunity which has arisen through the pandemic to be used to change the way the world is run, bringing in a system of "stakeholder capitalism".
Uhh, I don't know which planet you were living on pre covid, but that system was already in place long before covid 😅

I would suggest reading this - it's a brilliant website for addressing all sorts of conspiracy theories and it deals with this comprehensively. Whilst it isn't a bedrock of altruism - it is one of those organisations that attracts conspiracy theories by the type of politician that I would certainly distance myself from:

https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/World_Economic_Forum

It isn't a conspiracy theory if you are looking at the words they actually say.

I got as far as your first mistake when you contradicted information from your previous post.

The WEF would like to move towards a "stakeholder capitalism" form of Government.
Nope. The WEF Chairman writing a book saying he thinks it would be a good idea does NOT mean the WEF would like it to move towards it. If thats your level of comprehension I really don't think you're someone who's opinion I'll be paying much attention to.

Suggest to whom? This is exactly what many of think the WEF is.

A lot of people are feeling very sheepish and embarrassed at being taken for mugs during Covid. Calling other people conspiracy theorists stems from a place of embarrassment and resentment by the folks who fell for the mask zealotry, stood outside their houses banging pots and pans like idiots, complied with lockdowns blindly, suffered economic losses, saw their kids education damaged and all the other damage done by lockdowns.

These people find it really hard to admit that those in power did a number on them and they fell for it unquestioningly.

It's lazy to call OP a conspiracy theorist. I have some expertise on this:

I was mentored in my early career by a young global leader who goes to Davos every year- she has had a fascinating life and career but isn't the sinister puppeteer some of this is making out.

I did a PhD in psychology: Autism and rigidity of thought. I now work at an Oxbridge college researching how rigidity of thought becomes conspiracy thinking, radicalised thinking, and ultimately in some people results in violent extremism.

What OP, I think, is trying to explain is there is a shift from democratic decision making to corporate decision making which has huge effects on public money and public services, political decision making, etc. This is not a new or radical line of thought if you consider the huge lobby industry, pork barrel politicking, commissioning our public services out to private industry and the general influence that corporate governance has on political decision making. Think, for example, about the unregulated tech billionaires who have the capacity to influence societal behaviour. Or the concept of 'corporate state capture'.

Here is a blog from an assistant professor at LSE who says it much better than me: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/corporate-state-capture/

Do people feel bad? This place was completely ridiculous but some of the same posters look just as sure of their views anyway. I haven’t seen many admit to being wrong

Ostracising and othering is already a staple of daily life in so many small ways, it doesn’t take much to escalate. If you are told that people who even think differently to you are a huge threat to you and your family, the switch from defence to offence will be surprisingly easy.

There is a massive amount of irony that the people who identify as kind and tolerant so easily dehumanise those who have different opinions by labelling them as stupid or even fascists/Nazis. I think you are right that people assume they could never be induced to treat people with brutality so they never check their hateful thinking. Do they imagine that name calling will persuade people to see things the same way they do? It's quite frightening.

Agree 100%, and I also think because people like to feel good about themselves, Covid gave them the opportunity to appear be virtuous and show the rest of the world how they were making the right choices.

Remember the, “I wear a mask because I care about others” No you didn’t, you wore it because you were scared and you thought a mask could protect you. No problem with that, just be honest. Masks also became a statement of the virtue signallers. Look at me, I’m the selfless person doing this for others - a badge of moral superiority.

I was also amazed at the number of people who previously slagged of the Tories, saying they were dishonest liars who couldn’t be trusted - yet believed without question everything that very same government told them about covid. I know the usual argument is, “But the scientists say…” Of course they do, a government will always choose experts that support their particular agenda. There were plenty of scientists that believed lockdowns and the way the restrictions were handled were totally wrong. Hancock admitted afterwards that he was so concerned that the Great Barrington Declaration was gaining traction, and because it would potentially make him look like a fool, he used everything in his power to discredit a group of eminent experts. Take note that once Chris Whitty et al digressed from the government’s view, they were quietly dropped too.

Well worth reading this too if you have any doubt the British public were taken for mugs:

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-truth-about-matt-hancock/

OP you make lots of sweeping statements. I have read most of the links you have posted but it does not mean I have interpreted them in the same way.
You comments imply that many of us don't think just because we don't follow your rhetoric.
Yes, lobbying by big companies and charities has always to some extent. They don't always get what they want You could say everytime I sign a petition or write to my MP that I am trying to influence things.
In history you could say that Religions, Royal Dynasties and intermarriage was an attempt at a Global Reset.
In this country we do still have a democracy if people actually get out an vote.
Thank you for sparking a debate which is rather interesting as I lie in bed with the 'non existent covid'

We need to kick the lot out and get some honest, decent people who actually care about this country into power.

Any practical advice about how to go about this OP?

In this country we do still have a democracy if people actually get out an vote.

Are you joking?

We either vote for the disaster that is the Tories or we vote for the disaster that Labour will be. That's not democracy. Democracy in our country is a sham at this point, Neither of the main parties represent OUR interests, it's all utterly corrupt.

It's not a democracy when the government is decided by winning just a very few seats. Most people's votes just don't count. Plus, manipulation of seat boundaries. Plus, both parties are absolutely shit and do not intend to actually serve the country.

I didn't read everything in your OP but I got the jist.

You’re probably not being unreasonable. But what can we do about it? Nothing.

If you are a mover and and shaker of note and mix in influential circles then by all means do something about it.
Little old me stands no chance and I refuse to worry about what I can’t control. I just keep on keeping on and doing my best.

In what way were we fooled over covid?

masks did reduce transmission.

vaccinations did prevent people from getting sicker than they would have done otherwise.

the shutting down of schools was considered to be the best thing to do at the time when the world was facing a virus they knew little about.

Im sorry so many self employed people who had religiously underdeclared their incomes suffered hardship (and yes I know that many others fell through the gaps through no fault of their own and I feel for them).

if you think it is all a conspiracy what would you have done differently with the information on hand at the time? What exactly?

Whatever is happening I don’t feel I can do anything about it anyway and I think most people feel the same. We just get on with our lives, helping others, looking after our families etc.

Where’s the chemtrails thread gone? That was comedy gold!

So would you mind linking us to your literature review?
or do you not have one because you have no idea what research is?

In what way were we fooled over covid?

masks did reduce transmission.

You were fooled in many ways, but let's address masks. In spring 2020 we were told absolutely do not wear masks. We were told they didn't work and could make things worse. Johnson, Whitty and Jennie Harris ALL told us that.

THEN in summer 2020 when COVID HAD DISAPPEARED (because it's a winter respiratory virus) and the covid deaths were down to ZERO, masks were made mandatory.

Masks had NOTHING to do with covid transmission. Nothing. The masks were to keep the fear alive. So yes, if you went along with that you were fooled.

All of the most respected health as Oli does in the land would dispute this!

Apart from that, what did anyone have to gain from ‘keeping the fear going?’ The Tory cronies walked off with all of their vip fast track cash in the early weeks. Did the government want to keep the furlough scheme going - something that they and their WEF friends gained little from?

as someone who lost lots of friends in the January 2021 outbreak your comments are deeply offensive as well as clearly wrong.

CLAPTRAP.

CustardCreamKing "The Tory cronies walked off with all of their vip fast track cash in the early weeks."

I'm pretty sure more money was made by all sorts of politicians and cronies in 2021, especially given that masks weren't mandatory till summer of 2020. The FT is a good source generally but here's a short article

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jul/27/uk-health-department-played-fast-and-loose-when-awarding-covid-contracts-to-randox

Then we had Hugh Montgomery making his statement in December 2020 - no doubt pushing for profit for his (oddly named) company, Panthair

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55479018

there was a lot of profit to be made. Furlough was paid by taxpayers and made govts look kind at the time. It was the announcement of furlough that really scared me - they were clearly deadly serious about forcing lockdown.

Why did the government want to keep the fear alive? What was in it for them? If theywanted to keep the fear alive, why did Sunak create Eat Out to Help Out? Why did they decide to stop keeping the fear alive to the extent that they now barely mention covid?

I agree that there were lots of inconsistencies over things like masks and some of the rules were not logical, but I think that was more to do with incompetence and inexperience than anything sinister.

Masks made mandatory in England on 24th July 20

EOTHO introduced 3rd August 20.