The news and themes that sum up the year
topic or person dominated our covers quite as thoroughly as Donald Trump, with his image appearing in some form on no fewer than seven (another two carried his name if not his face). Brexit merited four. But even leaving aside the American elections and Britain’s vote to leave the European Union, there was plenty to keep our reporters, editors and cover designers busy in 2016 !
Brazil lost its president to impeachment and South Korea is in the process of doing the same (though South Africa's Jacob Zuma clings on). Turkey's authortarian president consolidated his hold on the country after an attempted coup in July, China's Xi Jinping cemented his own power during the year, most notably during the Communist Party’s central committee meeting, and Syria fell further into chaos and carnage, with support from Russia’s Vladimir Putin, who will end the year pleased with the instability his regime has sown in the West. India, an economic bright spot, scored a spectacular own-goal when in November its prime minister, Narendra Modi, abruptly rendered worthless 86% by value of the country’s cash. Its economy will grow more slowly as a result. In business, Silicon Valley behemoths, including Facebook and Uber, grew yet more powerful, reflecting a general trend in American business in general. In a year when the consensus on globalisation and free trade has been challenged as never before in recent memory, inequality and unfairness were at the front of the global consciousness; the running theme of the year was division—between the people of countries that voted in fractious elections, and between those who would see the world more open and those who want to pull up the drawbridges. What little good news there was came from Colombia, which ended a half-century-long conflict with the leftist guerrillas of the FARC, and from Iraq, where the jihadists of Islamic State are at last being pushed back.
It is not always easy to decide which story merits a cover. Indeed, some weeks the editors of The Economist do not: instead we “split” the cover for different regions, which we did on 11 occasions this year (including the issue dated March 26th, which had three covers). Of this year’s total of 63 covers, here are the ten that sum up the year.
January 2ndAt the start of 2016 Brazil should have been in an exuberant mood. Rio de Janeiro was to host South America’s first Olympic games in August, giving Brazilians a chance to embark on what they do best: throwing a really spectacular party. Instead, Brazil faced political and economic disaster. By the end of August Dilma Rousseff, the president, had been impeached.
March 26thAmerica used to be the land of opportunity and optimism. Now opportunity is seen as the preserve of the elite: two-thirds of Americans believe the economy is rigged in favour of vested interests. One problem with American capitalism has been overlooked: a corrosive lack of competition. America is meant to be a temple of free enterprise. It isn’t.
April 2nd
Xi Jinping is not only party leader, head of state and commander-in-chief, but is also running reform, the security services and the economy. In effect, the party’s hallowed notion of “collective” leadership has been jettisoned. Mr Xi is “Chairman of Everything”.
Xi Jinping is not only party leader, head of state and commander-in-chief, but is also running reform, the security services and the economy. In effect, the party’s hallowed notion of “collective” leadership has been jettisoned. Mr Xi is “Chairman of Everything”.
In the Western world Facebook accounts for the largest share of the most popular activity (social networking) on the most widely used computing devices (smartphones); its various apps account for 30% of mobile internet use by Americans. And it is one of the most valuable public companies on Earth. But Mark Zuckerberg, its founder and boss, has even greater ambitions
June 25th
Managing the aftermath of Brexit, which saw the country split by age, class and geography, will need political dexterity in the short run; in the long run it may require a redrawing of traditional political battle-lines and even subnational boundaries. There will be a long period of harmful uncertainty.
Managing the aftermath of Brexit, which saw the country split by age, class and geography, will need political dexterity in the short run; in the long run it may require a redrawing of traditional political battle-lines and even subnational boundaries. There will be a long period of harmful uncertainty.
America is more prosperous, more peaceful and less racist than ever before. The real threat is from the man who has done most to stoke national rage: Mr Trump has the power to reshape America so that it becomes more like the dysfunctional and declining place he claims it to be.
July 23rd
On the night of July 15th the people of Turkey showed great bravery in coming out onto the streets to confront—and repel—soldiers staging a military coup. Hundreds died. But Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the president, is destroying the very democracy that the people defended with their lives. Unrestrained, he will lead his country to more conflict and chaos.
On the night of July 15th the people of Turkey showed great bravery in coming out onto the streets to confront—and repel—soldiers staging a military coup. Hundreds died. But Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the president, is destroying the very democracy that the people defended with their lives. Unrestrained, he will lead his country to more conflict and chaos.
July 30th
America’s political conventions this year highlighted a new political faultline: not between left and right, but between open and closed. It is not alone. Across Europe, the politicians with momentum are those who argue that the world is a nasty, threatening place, and that wise nations should build walls to keep it out.
America’s political conventions this year highlighted a new political faultline: not between left and right, but between open and closed. It is not alone. Across Europe, the politicians with momentum are those who argue that the world is a nasty, threatening place, and that wise nations should build walls to keep it out.
Mr Trump’s strategy towards business has some promising elements, but others that are deeply worrying. The promise lies in his enthusiasm for corporate-tax reform and infrastructure investment, and in parts of his deregulatory agenda. The dangers stem from the muddled mercantilism that lies behind his attitude to business and in the tactics that he uses to achieve his goals.
December 17th
The 1,000-year-old Muslim heritage of Aleppo, once Syria’s largest metropolis, has turned to dust; its citizens have been shelled, bombed, starved and gassed. Their four-year ordeal has blown apart the principle that innocent people should be spared the worst ravages of war. Instead, a nasty, brutish reality has taken hold—and it threatens a more dangerous and unstable world.
The 1,000-year-old Muslim heritage of Aleppo, once Syria’s largest metropolis, has turned to dust; its citizens have been shelled, bombed, starved and gassed. Their four-year ordeal has blown apart the principle that innocent people should be spared the worst ravages of war. Instead, a nasty, brutish reality has taken hold—and it threatens a more dangerous and unstable world.
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