Argentinian President Javier Milei created yet another "brilliant" moment recently. According to a report by Deutsche Welle, the newly elected liberal president of Argentina delivered a passionate speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, criticizing socialism and collectivism as threats to human well-being and Western society. The self-proclaimed "anarcho-capitalist" leader of Argentina criticized "social justice" and "radical feminism" at the meeting held in the Swiss Alps, while praising entrepreneurs as "heroes".
Milei said, "Today I'm here to tell you that the Western world is in danger", declared that free-market capitalism is the only viable solution to poverty. "It is in danger because those who are supposed to have to defend the values of the West are co-opted by a vision of the world that inexorably leads to socialism and thereby to poverty", he elaborated.
In his speech, the newly elected president of Argentina focused on the development of humanity over the past two thousand years, pointing out that since the adoption of capitalism as the economic system, human wealth has experienced explosive growth. In contrast, from the year 0 to 1800 CE, global per capita GDP remained almost constant. Therefore, Milei believes that free-market capitalism, as an economic system, is not the root cause of problems, but rather the only instrument to end global hunger, poverty, and even extreme poverty. On the other hand, the existence of collectivism and socialism only brings obstacles.
Milei specifically addressed criticisms against capitalism in recent decades, especially the claim that capitalism leads to "market failure", and pointed out that "there are no market failures". He argued that market failure can only be linked to state intervention. Additionally, he criticized radical feminism, stating that the conflicts between men and women are "ridiculous and unnatural" because libertarianism has already provided equality of the sexes. He argued that the agenda of radical feminism only leads to greater state intervention, obstructing economic processes, and creating jobs for bureaucrats who contribute nothing to society, citing examples such as ministries of women or international organizations dedicated to promoting this agenda.
Milei's speech at the Davos conference has attracted widespread attention. On Chinese social media, although his criticism of "socialism" was somewhat toned down, his critiques of the West and collectivism were more widely spread, with most of the disseminators being China's own social media platforms.
At the same time, American entrepreneur Elon Musk posted a meme on his X account, showing a man watching Milei's Davos speech on a laptop while engaging in sexual activity with a woman, with the caption "so hot rn", with the letters "rn" stand for "right now".
Another point of focus on Chinese social media is that the 53-year-old Argentine leader travelled to Switzerland for the Davos World Economic Forum aboard a commercial flight. Argentine media outlet La Derecha Diario reported that this single trip saved the Argentine national treasury approximately USD 300,000. The Argentine government confirmed this figure to the media.
After taking office, Milei vowed to significantly reduce Argentina's spending. Last year, the country's inflation rate exceeded 200%. He then devalued the peso by more than 50%, cut subsidies for fuel and transportation, and halved the number of government ministries.
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab, in introducing Milei, stated that although some people describe the new president's approach as "radical", he has introduced "a new spirit to Argentina, making Argentina much more related to free enterprise, to entrepreneurial activities".
At the end of his speech, Milei praised entrepreneurs and capitalists, saying, "you are the true protagonists of this story and rest assured that as from today, Argentina is your staunch and unconditional ally", and concluded his speech with, "long live freedom".
Can those famous "Davos idiots" understand Milei's remarks? I highly doubt so. I believe most people cannot. As for how to view Milei and his works, most people, including myself in the past, thought that what Milei was doing in Argentina was "reform", introducing theories like the Austrian school of economics and Hayek's free-market ideas to boost Argentina's economy, with the outcome being uncertain and having little impact on the future. However, now I do not see it so simply. As things stand, I believe what Milei is undertaking is a revolution, and I would call it the "Mileian Revolution".
The reason I maintain this view is:
1. Institutions: Argentina and South America have abundant resources and a rich culture, but they have always swung between the extremes of the left and the right in terms of institutions, causing tremendous self-inflicted damage to society and the economy. Institutions are the rarest political resource in Latin America, and Milei happens to be reconstructing these institutions. He has already accomplished many remarkable things and seems to be gaining widespread support in Argentine society. If Milei proves that institutions can take root in Argentina, then without a doubt, he is carrying out a revolution.
2. Comparative competitions: Western countries may not understand this point, and the mainstream of Western society still refuses to believe that Milei's free-market ideas can succeed, because, in their view, those are things they have already abandoned, as they are thought to be cruel and incompatible with progressivism. This attitude in Western society will actually create significant space for the "Mileian Revolution" in terms of ideology. Entrepreneurs have sharper instincts, and their businesses and capital will flow to Argentina, thus supporting the revolution, making it larger in scale and greater in influence. Ultimately, this will position Milei, who is already ahead, to become a visionary, globally influential political leader.
3. Historical reasons: From a civilizational perspective, the Americas have everything except institutions. Free-market economy historically represents the Anglo-Germanic order. The "Latin American trap" in economics can be simply understood as welfare-based distribution that lacks the necessary support from resources. When it reaches a certain point, such as a per capita income of USD 4,000, it becomes unsustainable. Beyond that point, the issue is production, not distribution, a key reason why welfarism fails to work in Latin America. At this stage, when people lose patience and are willing to pay a certain cost, there is really nothing left to lose. Political and social reconstruction may then occur, and people will begin seeking breakthroughs. This creates a significant opportunity and solid foundation for the "Mileian Revolution".
4. Milei as an excellent organizer and agitator of a cultural movement: This seems unquestionable. His personality is very suited to be ushered into a heroic era, and he has done just that. As common sense tells us, all revolutions are social movements, and Milei has already initiated this movement. Whether it will ultimately succeed requires further observation. A cultural movement supporting Milei and his agenda could potentially change both the present and future of Argentina.
These are the reason why Milei and Argentina are able to lead the global tide. Once we define what is happening in Argentina as the institutional "Mileian Revolution", we can make some basic predictions about Argentina's future.
Firstly, if Argentina's "Mileian Revolution" has 30 to 50 years to unfold, Argentina could become a developed country, capable of restoring the historical brilliance of its G8 status. Whether this is ultimately achievable depends largely on the Argentinean people's commitment to the institutions. From a civilizational and historical perspective, there has often been a challenge in maintaining the patience and capacity required for such long-term commitments.
Secondly, the people of Argentina will change the political landscape of the Americas. If they succeed, Argentina could become the economic growth center of South America. Surrounding Argentina, more countries will come together, marking a historic and transformative event for Latin America.
Thirdly, the relationship between Argentina and the United States is complex. On one hand, economic growth is inherently competitive, and the U.S. may not welcome Argentina's emergence as another major development hub in Latin America. On the other hand, Argentina has the potential to become a significant market for the U.S., presenting substantial growth opportunities for American companies. As a result, Argentina's rise will likely involve tensions with U.S. interests. This dynamic is unlikely to change merely due to the relationship between Trump and Milei.
Fourthly, whether Argentina is fortunate enough to succeed will depend on whether Milei receives firm support from the military, as the military has always been the most conservative force in Latin America. Of course, it is often the final pillar of support in Latin American politics.
Fifthly, there is the issue on Argentina as a participant in global trade and as a rule-maker. Latin America is a key resource exporter in global trade, and the pricing power of resource exporters is crucial. This inevitably involves global politics and trade. In the future, Argentina will play a significant role in this regard, and the world will have the opportunity to witness the emergence of Argentina's influence.
Latin America has always been a land full of poetic charm. Despite having altitude sickness, I deeply love this region that is rich in culture. I am glad to see that the direction Milei is leading the Argentinians, and this direction carries a powerful symbol pertaining the Century of the Americas. If Argentina succeeds in making unconventional strides from a civilizational perspective, the 21st century will no longer be the European Century, but a new Century of the Americas.
I know that most people probably have not even considered this.
