Argentine president says moral and ethical renewal—rooted in Western civilization’s foundations—is essential to overcome socialism and revive the ideas of freedom.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Argentine President Javier Milei warned global leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday that Western civilization faces continued decline unless it returns to its foundational pillars of Greek philosophy, Roman law, and Judeo-Christian values.
Speaking for the third time at the annual gathering hosted by the World Economic Forum, Milei said the West is emerging from what he described as a “dark present,” arguing that 2026 marks a turning point compared with his previous addresses. In his 2024 speech, Milei delivered a broad condemnation of socialism, followed in 2025 by a denunciation of woke ideology, which he labeled an “epidemic” and a “cancer that must be eradicated.”
“This year I bring good news,” Milei told the audience. “The world has begun to wake up, and the best proof of this is what is happening in America with the rebirth of the ideas of freedom.”
Milei opened his address by declaring, “Machiavelli is dead,” arguing that modern policymaking has been distorted by a false choice between political efficiency and the ethical and moral values of the West. He rejected the notion that efficiency and fairness are in opposition.
“What is fair cannot be inefficient, nor can what is efficient be unfair,” Milei said, describing fairness and efficiency as “two sides of the same coin.”
He warned that abandoning moral and ethical principles produces not only unjust policies but also social and economic collapse, potentially threatening the survival of Western civilization itself. Citing historical examples, Milei pointed to what he described as the catastrophic record of socialism, including Venezuela’s economic collapse and the emergence of what he called a “bloody narco-dictatorship.”
Against that backdrop, Milei said the defense of free-market capitalism must rest on ethical and moral grounds, rather than purely utilitarian arguments. He urged leaders to revive the philosophical and legal traditions that shaped the West.
“If we want to escape our dark present,” Milei said, “we must return to drawing inspiration from Greek philosophy, embrace Roman law, and return to Judeo-Christian values, which will enable us to save the West.”
The Argentine president pointed to domestic results he attributed to policies guided by those principles, citing the elimination of a fiscal deficit equal to 15 percent of gross domestic product, a reduction in annual inflation from roughly 300 percent to about 30 percent, a drop in poverty from 57 percent to 27 percent, and renewed economic growth.
Milei said Argentina’s Deregulation Ministry, led by Federico Sturzenegger, has implemented 13,500 reforms to the state, creating what he described as a more efficient and dynamic economy. Switching briefly to English, Milei summarized the effort as “Make Argentina Great Again.”
He dismissed criticism that free-enterprise capitalism undermines moral values and returned to his opening theme, repeating that “Machiavelli is dead” and should be “buried.”
In closing, Milei drew from the Jewish Torah portion Parshat Bo, recounting the confrontation between Moses and Pharaoh. He described Pharaoh as a symbol of oppressive state power and outlined the biblical plagues as warnings about the consequences of denying freedom—famine, darkness, and ultimately societal destruction.
“The analogy with what is happening today is clear,” Milei said.
Reflecting on his earlier Davos appearances, he said he warned in 2024 that the West was in danger for embracing socialism “in its most hypocritical form,” and in 2025 described what he called the “mental parasites” spread by the left. This year, he said, marked a shift.
“The world has begun to wake up,” Milei said. “America will be the beacon of light that will reignite the entire Western world.”
He concluded by urging a return to what he called the roots of Western civilization.
“We have a better future ahead of us,” Milei said, “but that future will only exist if we return to the ideas of freedom.”
Original article
Comments