I HAVE BEEN ATTENDING DAVOS FOR two decades and have always found it to be a deeply inspiring event.

As a Swede, it is a particular honour for me to be present this year because the World Economic Forum has chosen “The Nordic experience” as one of the themes of the gathering. Given that a number of Nordic countries were in deep crisis several years ago, I am proud that the experiences of these small countries in the north of Europe might be considered a source of inspiration to others.

For some people, the Nordic experience means an all-encompassing state levying high taxes and intruding on the personal liberties of citizens from the cradle to the grave. But the reality, as borne out by the WEF’s Global Competitiveness Index, is that Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark are some of the world’s most competitive countries.