But there is a fourth pillar, often overlooked, that determines whether a nation is merely running or actually progressing: the independent think tank.
For too long, governments across the globe have treated policy research as a mere extension of public relations.
The prevailing model in many capitals is the attached think tank - a docile institution that reports to a ministry, echoes the party line, and employs scholars who know which side their bread is buttered on.
These are not think tanks; they are stenography pools with business cards.
If we believe that the purpose of policy is to solve complex problems - climate resilience, educational equity, or national security - then we must confront a difficult truth...