Disillusioned youth, WEF report warns

The World Economic Forum’s Global Risk report 2022 gives a picture of mixed prospects for the world, with shadows dominating patches of light and casting uncertainty over the future. The 17th edition of the report builds on the difficult outlook presented last year, and notes that the continuing grip of the Covid-19 pandemic on the world has given rise to newer concerns. It seeks to look at the challenges and risks in various fields like the economy, society, governance and technology and predicts that the post-pandemic recovery, whenever it comes, will increase disparities and create new problems. The report finds climate change the most serious long-term risk, and recommends that strengthening climate action, enhancing digital safety, restoring livelihoods and societal cohesion should get priority nationally and internationally. The struggle of some countries to cope with the pandemic will make the progress made by others unreal and even useless. The report also takes note of the implications of the various risks on individuals, communities and governments.

India will face risks that are common to the world and challenges that arise from the country’s specific situation. Significantly, the report details disillusionment among youth, digital inequality, the fracturing of interstate relations, debt crisis, and failure of technology governance as the top five risks for the country. The disillusionment of youth and their loss of trust in existing structures and institutions will have serious consequences if the challenges are not tackled well and in time. These are not matters to be handled in the future but risks that exist now. There was a view that India’s demographic dividend, arising from a youthful population, would give it a great advantage, but that opportunity seems to have passed the country by. The dividend has become a divide and a burden because most of the youth are uneducated or undereducated and unskilled, and unable to make use of the opportunities. The country is not able to provide the youth education, or jobs to those who have secured education. This situation has created disillusionment.

Disillusioned youth are prone to political exploitation and may get attracted to radical ideologies. They may be swayed by populist passions and negativism. There are signs of this even now. Inequalities can aggravate the sense of loss and disentitlement. All this can lead to increased political and social conflict. These are difficult times for all communities and societies, and they call for perceptive and skilful management by governments, leaders and other stakeholders. Some of the issues highlighted by the report are known. There are others, too. Many of them already existed, but the pandemic has amplified them. It should be realised that fighting the pandemic is not just fighting it medically but fighting its consequences also.