A Privately Led Think Tank: A Healthy Compass

In Washington, D.C., countless think tanks are active. They gather ideas about the direction society should take, exert influence on Congress and the government, and contribute to social development. Grounded in a mature civic consciousness, they help shape public opinion so that society can move toward a better world, while seeking ways to enhance individual freedom and prosperity.

What they have in common is that private citizens participate voluntarily, freedom is treated as a core value, and diversity and openness serve as the organizing principles of their institutions. This is what drives the United States toward becoming a great nation.

The tradition that takes private-sector voluntarism and the principle of the individual as its core values can be found in the Anglo-American world. This is also why such think tanks have been able to develop in the United Kingdom and the United States. Among advanced countries, it is not easy to find privately led think tanks elsewhere. In countries accustomed to a government-led culture, government-dependent methods tend to dominate over voluntary private donations and sponsorships. In the United States, where awareness of private participation far exceeds dependence on government, the culture of privately led think tanks plays a major role in maintaining a healthy society.

Korea also has many think tanks, but most of the organizations with large budgets and staff are quasi-governmental bodies supported by government funding. As a result, government projects and public opinion formation tend to be driven by the state, and the public mindset continues to remain trapped in a government-dependent posture.

Representative private think tanks in Korea include the Center for Free Enterprise (CFE), the Foundation for Economic Freedom, Anmin Forum, and the Next Generation Future Strategy Institute. The Center for Free Enterprise (CFE), which marked its 25th anniversary on April 10, can be considered one of the country’s leading think tanks. Compared with government-affiliated organizations, it has fewer resources in terms of size, personnel, and budget, but its contribution to society is very significant.

For a think tank to contribute to society, it must meet certain basic conditions. First, it must take individual freedom and the protection of property rights as its core values. This is because they are the reason humanity has progressed. Second, it must maintain independence from the government through private support. Organizations that depend on government budget support are more likely to waste taxpayers’ money than to contribute to social development. Third, they must be operated on the basis of openness, tolerance, and faith in the rule of law. Only then can they develop together with society.

There are reasons why a country remains healthy and prospers. The United States has a history of such think tanks. Looking at the annual support received by America’s three major think tanks, The Heritage Foundation receives 70 billion won, while AEI and the Cato Institute each receive around 40 billion won. It is this kind of private participation and support that makes American culture and politics robust. Because these institutions exist, institutional stability can be maintained and corruption can be avoided.

Like the United States, Korea also has a strong spirit of private initiative and social contribution. Our history contains countless examples of individuals who gave generously of what they had. Citizens have shown a willingness to devote everything they had to protect their lives and property, and for the stability of society and the nation.

History records the stories of the victors. In the process, we may remember only the good examples. But in some cases, such devotion has contributed to history, while in others it has been wasted or even pushed history backward.

Even now, many people in our society strive for the public good. Not all of that energy contributes positively to society. In that sense, the tendency of people to gravitate toward democratic-sounding or agitational methods, or toward following idolized figures, is something that must be overcome.

Think tanks for liberal democracy and the market economy are indispensable, like social infrastructure. For a country’s culture and institutions to improve, think tanks must be able to play their proper role. Someone must take on the role of a “compass of freedom” that points society in the right direction. The power that protects our society and leads it onto the path of prosperity comes from the interest and support that many citizens give to think tanks of freedom.

Sung-no Choi, President, Center for Free Enterprise (CFE)

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Original title: 민간주도 싱크탱크는 ‘건강한 나침반’

Author: Sung-no Choi

Date: 2022-04-11

Source: https://www.cfe.org/bbs/bbsDetail.php?cid=press&idx=24667