World Economic Forum warns of social disruption

THE World Economic Forum's (WEF) latest annual Global Risk Report serves up a stark warning to global stockmarket investors: take off the rose-tinted glasses.

The report says the unsteady economic revival from the 2008/2009 great recession could be thrown off course by social disruption and violence, due to the massive gap between the rich and the poor, extensive unemployment and underemployment, and worrying private and public indebtedness.

"The message from the Arab spring and from countries such as Brazil and South Africa is that people are not going to stand for it any more," said WEF's chief economist Jennifer Blanke.

The 700 opinion-formers surveyed by the WEF said governments, academics, businesses and other organisations need to sharpen their focus to find ways to narrow …