THE ECONOMIST MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 4 - 10TH 2017 TOPICS IN ISSUE;  SOCIAL MEDIA'S THREAT TO DEMOCRACY ;   WHERE NEXT FOR CATALONIA?;  TRAFFICKING BRIDES TO CHINA;   MUELLER' MISUNDERSTOOD MISSION NEW AND UNREAD    The Economist takes an editorial stance of classical and economic liberalism that supports free trade, globalization, free immigration, and cultural liberalism (such as supporting legal recognition for same-sex marriage or drug liberalization) The publication has described itself as "...a product of the Caledonian liberalism of Adam Smith and David Hume".It targets highly educated, cultured readers and claims an audience containing many influential executives and policy-makers. The publication's CEO described this recent global change, which was first noticed in the 1990s and accelerated in the beginning of the 21st century, as a "new age of Mass Intelligence".