It's not hard to imagine that last autumn, when the powers that be were putting together this year's annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, they were planning on a positive, forward-looking agenda for a world that had triumphantly emerged from crisis to stand on the cusp of a new, technology-led industrial revolution.

Take the example of Europe. Twelve months ago, Europe was in the midst of the Greek IN/OUT debate and was reeling from the Swiss National Bank's removal of the peg between the euro and Swiss franc. Economic growth was barely in positive territory and the Ukraine/Russian tension on its doorstep was causing an existential crisis of diplomatic intent and purpose.