A blog post by Boris Johnson’s chief adviser inviting ‘weirdos and misfits’ to get involved in government policymaking reflects a yearning in many societies for solutions to the intractable problems we face, such as inequality and climate change.

Small nations may be helpless against big power politics but every country can adopt technology to meet its challenges. For a vision to work, the political leadership needs everyone on board.

Protests around the world and the rise of populist politics are rooted as much in climate change as in economic factors. Instead of lending to wealthy borrowers at negative interest rates, central banks could use quantitative easing to invest in green infrastructure.

Mass protests from Hong Kong to France to Ecuador are just the symptoms, reflecting the underlying problem of polarisation in society. But the proliferation of bad information and the rise of social media that amplifies discontent is complicating our search for a solution.

Negative interest rates have not encouraged spending and have fuelled inequality. Instead of relying on central bankers to tweak monetary policy, governments must initiate structural reforms. However, with a global slowdown in the offing, this is unlikely to happen.

For decades, the US dominated coastal areas needed to contain great power rivals, but this is now under threat. Hong Kong is one such area, and the protesters are inserting themselves into this conflict by calling for US support.

Free speech and the rule of law are built on an understanding of civil deliberation and a good-faith search for truth. With online falsehoods turning us against one another, often violently, is it time for governments to step in?

Protesters in Hong Kong are demanding greater democratic freedoms when democracies across the Western world are increasingly in crisis, as the rule of law starts looking like the rule of the “swarm”. This mob democracy cannot be what Hong Kong really wants.

As Asia urbanises and industrialises, there is a pronounced trend in regionalism – with trade and tourists staying within the area. But in a multipolar world, the region is unlikely to be dominated by any single country.

Stock exchanges trying to stay competitive in the wake of technological advances and structural changes may have profit on their mind, but they should expect regulatory and geopolitical considerations to take precedence.

Whether it is building a digital economy or preparing for climate change, Asean countries are busy putting long-term plans into action. They have a trump card in the form of their youthful, digitally savvy and upwardly mobile populations.

Hong Kong’s current political structure has none of the advantages of effective delivery through autocratic administrative means, but all the defects of democratic politics. A bipartisan consensus is the only realistic way forward, along with using social media to unite, not divide.

The US is playing hardball with other economies now, but without cooperation it can’t devalue its dollar, and it will need other countries’ help when the good times come to an end.

From the ‘yellow vest’ protests in France to the anti-extradition demonstrations in Hong Kong, race and identity lie at the heart of the recent wave of populism. Such is the outcome when economic inequlaities aren’t tackled early enough.

If everyone resorts to protests to hold the rest of society to ransom, how is it possible to implement reforms or govern effectively? Beyond demonstrations, we need solutions to problems, from widening inequality to climate change and technological disruption.

At the heart of the mass protests is a defence of Hong Kong’s freedoms under ‘one country, two systems’, which expires in 2047. The critical issue is to agree on how Hong Kong can evolve towards that date – or risk extreme views tearing the city apart

With its actions against Huawei, the US is effectively threatening to segregate the internet. Chinese companies have operated at a speed and scale that threatens US dominance in tech, and Washington’s response will shape the knowledge economy.

Heads of large corporations, not governments, need to recognise the urgency of the climate crisis and focus on the planet’s long-term survival instead of short-term profit, while economists must factor the cost to the Earth into GDP calculations.

Stock markets are more concentrated than ever, influenced by machine-driven algorithms no one understands, and supported by central banks’ policy of quantitative easing. Once the liquidity dries up, markets are in danger of crashing

Democratic ideals are in retreat around the world, and under attack in the US. Undemocratic countries like China are becoming economically stronger while Trump challenges the checks and balances that have kept US democracy intact.

The turn to populism suggests the old system of Keynesian spending, free trade and military commitments no longer works for the US. This could be costly for America’s partners.

With automation and protectionism pushing manufacturing back to home markets, Asian economies need to boost domestic consumption. But can they maintain good growth without increasing inequality and aggravating climate change?

A central bank policy that floods the economy with money and fuels consumption also exacerbates climate change, the greatest threat to humanity’s existence.

Who or what is to blame for the Boeing 737 MAX 8 disasters? An investigation into the cause recalls the way leaders across the world grapple with today’s highly complex problems, and the comparison is hardly reassuring.

Berkshire Hathaway sees its investments as groves of trees, still picked for their solid fundamentals. Meanwhile, the world has spent the past decade feeling rich due to a bubble of debt and central bank liquidity, ignoring challenges like climate change.

The reversal of globalisation is a major risk to global growth. If deals are not struck on Brexit and the trade war, steps such as competitive currency devaluation could lead to a 1930s-style recession.

The free market is a bad idea that probably belongs in the rubbish bin of history. A system where human beings and mother nature have been reduced to cogs and commodities has brought only misery, and climate change.

Climate change and human inequality are the urgent problems political and business leaders should be focusing on. With male leaders ineffectual, and worse, the rise of women offers some hope.

The US leader’s erratic behaviour in fact illustrates some of the principles of quantum physics that more accurately describe the physical world and human behaviour. When old rules don’t apply, new thinking is required.

The ongoing decline in institutional trust is caused by the capture of the state by business interests. What’s less clear is the solution.