As we look back at 2011, we can see that in many ways and for many reasons it was an extraordinary year. From revolutions to natural disasters, from political coups to civic disorder, from CEO departures to economic meltdown we have seen them all.
The Arab spring, saw not only an unprecedented amount of public protest against political leaders, but perhaps another revolution was how the campagins were coordinated and how they spread so quickly. It started in Tunisia, but moved to over a dozen countries and has seen the toppling of three governments. Many protesters used Social Media to communicate, organise and collaborate. It is a very powerful example of how communication and globalisation are changing and the impacts that this can have.
It was the year that Apple lost their iconic boss Steve Jobs, which will certainly challenge the group to continue its trajectory as the worlds most innovative company. Another bosses departure of quite another kind was Carol Bartz who was dismissed from Yahoo in September. The troubled group has an uncertain future ahead.
In March, the world looked on with aghast as one of the biggest natural disasters of all time hit Japan, killing some 20,000 people. The horror took a macabre twist as the nuclear reactors in the area threatened to go into meltdown, which was heroically avoided. Although it was in many ways a confirmation of the safety of nuclear reactors, many countries chose to view it as quite the opposite.
The economy has had a thoroughly bad year. US and Europe continue to see slow or non-existent growth. The Euro-zone has threated to implode in on itself with crisis after crisis throughout the year. Key sectors continue to struggle, with Banking and Retail hit worst.
Protests were a big feature of the year, with a wave of anti-capitalists protests, starting with the Occupy Wall Street campaign which quickly spread to many of the worlds financial capitals.
In the Summer, the UK saw a breakdown of civil order when widespread violence and looting broke out, following a police shooting incident. For three days, widespread protests looting and arson became a common feature in many large cities and completely overwhelmed the local police forces. Commentators cynically noted that certain business proved to be incubated from the looting with one high street having every business targeted except the local bookshop.
Perhaps when our children and our children’s children look back on 2011, they will see it as a turning point. But a turning point to what? We will have to wait and see.
Recent Comments