Davos Man, Confused

Why the world's economic leaders blame the catastrophe on the system instead of themselves.

By Daniel GrossPosted Thursday, Jan. 29, 2009, at 12:23 PM ET

The World Economic Forum in DavosFor centuries, historians have debated whether history is propelled by Great Men (and Women), human forces of nature who bend events and systems to their will, or by vast impersonal forces (communism, capitalism, globalization) that render even the most powerful of us a mere reed basket floating in a massive river. There's no session on the subject at the World Economic Forum in Davos. But at least with regard to finance and business, the consensus seems to be clear: Success is the work of Great Men and Great Women, while failure can be pinned on the system.