Trilateral Commission

Trilateral Commission. The Trilateral Commission is a non-governmental policy forum founded in 1973 to foster closer cooperation among the world's major industrialized regions. It was established by American banker David Rockefeller and political scientist Zbigniew Brzezinski, with initial membership drawn from North America, Western Europe, and Japan. The organization aims to address common challenges through private dialogue and policy recommendations among leaders from the private sector, academia, and government.

History and formation

The concept for the Trilateral Commission emerged in the early 1970s, a period marked by significant geopolitical and economic strain, including the collapse of the Bretton Woods system and the 1973 oil crisis. David Rockefeller, then chairman of the Chase Manhattan Bank, and his advisor, Columbia University professor Zbigniew Brzezinski, conceived the group to promote sustained dialogue among the three democratic industrial cores. The inaugural meeting was held in Tokyo in October 1973, bringing together approximately 300 members. The commission's formation was supported by influential figures like Jimmy Carter and was seen as a response to perceived insularity in existing forums like the Bilderberg Group. Its early publications, such as "The Crisis of Democracy" report, shaped its intellectual direction.

Structure and membership

The Trilateral Commission is organized into three regional groups: North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, with the latter initially focused solely on Japan but later expanded. Each region is led by a chairman, with overall governance provided by an executive committee. Membership, typically around 400 individuals, is by invitation only and includes prominent figures from business, finance, academia, labor unions, and former high-ranking government officials. Notable leadership has included individuals like Henry Kissinger and Paul Volcker. The group holds annual plenary meetings rotating among cities like Paris, Tokyo, and Washington, D.C., with regional meetings occurring more frequently. The secretariat is based in Washington, D.C., with regional offices in Paris and Tokyo.

Objectives and activities

The primary objective is to encourage political and economic cooperation among the three regions to manage global interdependence. Its activities center on commissioning task forces and study groups to produce detailed reports on pressing international issues, such as trade policy, energy security, and relations with emerging powers like China and Russia. These reports are disseminated to members, policymakers, and the public. The forum provides a discreet setting for off-the-record dialogue, facilitating informal networks that often influence formal policy debates within institutions like the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization. A key early focus was managing relations within the Western bloc during the Cold War.

Influence and criticism

The commission is cited as an influential incubator for policy ideas and personnel, with many members assuming high office, such as Jimmy Carter, George H. W. Bush, and numerous European Commission officials. Its advocacy for neoliberal economic policies and closer Atlanticism is seen as shaping the agenda of the Group of Seven. However, it has faced sustained criticism from both the political left and right, often labeled a secretive elite cabal. Critics like journalist Hunter S. Thompson and politicians such as Barry Goldwater have accused it of undermining national sovereignty. Conspiracy theories, particularly involving the Rockefeller family, have been propagated by figures including Lyndon LaRouche and persist in some alternative media circles.

Notable members

Notable members have included numerous heads of state, central bankers, and corporate leaders. U.S. members have spanned administrations, including Presidents Jimmy Carter and George H. W. Bush, as well as officials like Henry Kissinger, Paul Volcker, and Michael Bloomberg. From Europe, members have included European Commission Presidents Romano Prodi and José Manuel Barroso, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and former Chancellor of Germany Helmut Schmidt. Asian members have featured prime ministers of Japan like Yasuhiro Nakasone and Kiichi Miyazawa, along with influential industrialists and bankers from the region.