A Critical Look at the Application in Practice of Fair Trade

As economics is one of the social sciences, it is hardly possible to separate economic processes from social issues. Also, the fact that social sciences use everyday language makes it difficult to define concepts precisely, which may lead to a varying reception for the issues that are being discussed here. Another problem is that it is not always possible to clearly distinguish what is real and what is desirable. In the domain of wishful thinking, one can develop concepts that may be impossible to implement. The search for ideas that give some meaning to human activity is an essential feature of rational human beings. Usually, meaningful ideas determine the direction of activities on which the attention of economic and social organizations is focused. In terms of change, the development of societies is also determined by how people perceive reality. Analyzing the leading topics discussed in Davos by the representatives of the richest countries in the world, it can be noticed that at different periods of time the discussion is dominated by certain specific or even fashionable subjects. The 2014 meeting in Davos was devoted primarily to the issues of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Judging from this, one could come to the conclusion that in the years 2015–2018 the attention of companies and organizations will focus on implementing the concept of CSR. Prior to that, the focus was on environmental protection, ecology, and the development of China’s economy.