Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva railed against free markets at the Group of 20 (G20) social summit on Saturday. Lula's remarks reflect credulity in the ability of technocrats to solve social ills and an ignorance of economic history.
The first G20 summit convened in September 2008 to respond to the financial crisis, promote global economic and stability. While the G20 has historically viewed these goals through the lens of its political and financial pillars, this year's summit marked the addition of a social pillar, which Lula described as "where the collective will and expression takes shape."
