Thierry De Montbrial Made IFRI The 2nd Most Influential Think Tank In The World - Interview Forbes FRANCE

Original article in Forbes France here

The French Institute of International Relations (IFRI). 4 letters for the 2nd most influential think tank in the world according to the University of Pennsylvania’s ranking which lists more than 6,800 institutes. How can we explain such a success? One man, Thierry de Montbrial, has worked diligently for more than 40 years for the success of the institute, which promotes French geopolitical thinking around the world.

The French Institute of International Relations - A wellspring of French thinking

IFRI does more than developing ideas from ideas. “First, one has to differentiate an idea from thinking. Geniuses give birth one or two ideas maximum, or three like Einstein. Thinking, on the other hand, is a process, a work of synthesis within a given spatio-temporal framework. ". The institute coordinates well thought and balanced research projects in order to unveil an aspect of reality. Also, the word idea has the same etymological root in Greek "idein" as in Chinese "见 -Jian- de 意见 - YiJian": to see. Therefore, IFRI offers decision-makers a world view "weltanschaung" in order "to present the world as accurate as possible," said the President. When Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi went to Paris at the end of August, he also spoke at a conference organised by IFRI, proof that the institute's reputation is well established. Always calm, affable and responsive, the president is an expert in his field, his institution and has countless ideas: "We want to continue to grow. But the nature of this growth must also be well structured in order to ensure its sustainability."

Wang Yi at l’IFRI in August 2020 – Copyright : ©IFRI

IFRI's Oikonomia

IFRI is an independent, fundamentally non-partisan institute serving the public interest. According to the President, independence is defined first of all, "as having enough dependencies so that none prevail. "The annual budget of 7 million euros comes from different sources:

The diversification of its funding, coupled with budget provisions over a period of more than one year, allows IFRI to stay independent of any political influence.

Finally, IFRI is a non-profit organization, established under the Act of 1901, and recognized as a public utility organization. Former polytechnician, Thierry de Montbrial was first recognized for his mathematical work. The general interest can be defined not as the sum of individual interests sometimes contradictory but as its integral. The indicator variable through which we include dx representing the common interest. IFRI, through its recognized public utility action and its independent and rational management could inspire many companies.

The French Institute of International Relations does not think alone

Indeed, IFRI does not think alone. Ideas, on their own, cannot be protected, only the form in which they are expressed comes under intellectual property. The institute has thus been able to forge close relations with other think tanks: from the RAND Corporation or the Brookings Institution (with revenues that are more than 17 times higher), including the CSIS, the Carnegie Endowment or the French-Korean Foundation. This is how ideas are spread and developed around different institutes. But each think tank has its own way of operation.

What then would be the main difference between running a think tank in the United States and in France? Thierry de Montbrial, who studied at UC Berkeley, answered. “As Tocqueville was already pointing it out, in the United States, the main difference is that non-profit comes from the private sector. In France, the state subsidy is, on the other hand, a guarantee of independence and not of subordination. But we also know how to appeal for donations in order to acquire, for example, our premises at 27 rue de la Procession in the 15th arrondissement 25 years ago."

The geopolitical thoughts of Thierry de Montbrial

At a time when the spirit of international cooperation is at its lowest, the President explains: “The Sino-American relations and the position of the various players will be of utmost importance in the coming years. There is a huge interest in having a non-American point of view. Koreans, Japanese and even the Chinese people value our research because our perspective is different and independent. A summary of these analyses can be found in the RAMSÈS report, a leading annual publication from IFRI.

Like Enrico Letta, former President of the Italian Council of Ministers, Thierry de Montbrial is deeply European: “I am among those who believe in the importance of the European Union. The Union is once again demonstrating its ability to grow - although in pain - with each major crisis. The European Union is the only living laboratory of international governance worthy of this name and this gives us hope that democracy and efficiency will go hand in hand in the long term."

Thomas Gomart (Director) & Thierry de Montbrial (President) – Copyright : ©chrispeus.com

"Success is consistency with oneself"

Thierry de Montbrial made his life the mirror of his thoughts. “Real success is in us. Everything we look for in life, we sort of already found it. This is an idea that we find in Platon, Leibniz, Heidegger but also in Christianism, Buddhism and Taoism. It is about becoming more and more aware of the deep unity of our actions in order to find the epistemological foundations. Let’s take the example of a physicist: at first, he does not look at philosophical questions. But the greatest scientists, at the end of their careers, needed to include a philosophical order into their work. Today, I am finally starting to understand more deeply what I have accomplished. ". A coincidence or necessity, the word “geopolitics” in Chinese (地 缘 - DiYuan) contains the character of destiny (缘 - Yuan).

IFRI is not a think tank like any other, but one of the best. Better according to the mathematician Pierre de Fermat: a minimum of causes for a maximum of effect. IFRI’s founder thinks like a man of action and acts like a man of thought - a polymath who is very good with numbers, letters and people. “To those who would like to give lessons in democracy: the best are to be given at home. », concludes the President. It’s a beautiful harmony when words and action go together.