The Economist's plan to save the world from populism

When James Wilson founded The Economist in 1843 his aim was to challenge a political and landowning class which was protecting its interests through tariffs on grain that were causing hunger and rioting across Britain.
Wilson was a radical. He was a champion of free trade. His great “newspaper”, launched alongside myriad others at a time of massive expansion of the printed word, has not only endured for 175 years but has evolved into a highly-profitable global product with influence