Tackle income disparity

Six years after the onset of the global financial crisis, business and political leaders around the world can no longer shrug off the rising unemployment and widening income disparity as the price that needs paying for a global recovery.

Those attending the World Economic Forum must grasp the fact that the gap between the rich and poor needs to be the key topic of this year's gathering, which takes place in Davos, Switzerland, from Wednesday to Saturday.

In stark contrast to recent optimistic forecasts about global growth prospects in 2014, evidence is emerging that the remedy of cheap money, resorted to by many major economies as a cure for their ills, has so far only benefited the very few that are rich at the expense of the many, many more who are poor.