Milei’s Unapologetic Defense of Capitalism Missed a Key Point
What masters of the universe in Davos most wanted and needed to hear were his concrete plans to take Argentina out of its chronic malaise. They were left wanting.
Prophet in the wilderness.
Photographer: Halil Sagirkaya/Anadolu via Getty Images
As presidential speeches go, Javier Milei’s Davos debut was quite something: The Argentine libertarian took the stage to make an unapologetic defense of capitalism, the kind you don’t hear too often in mainstream politics these days. The West, Argentina’s president told the world’s most famous ski resort gathering on Wednesday, is under attack from socialism, and free-market capitalism is not only “fair and morally superior” but also the reason why humankind is enjoying “the biggest expansion in wealth and prosperity in our history.”
The model he proposes for Argentina is thus firmly rooted on key libertarian principles: “The defense of life, freedom and property,” Milei told the World Economic Forum audience in his first international trip since his Dec. 10 inauguration.