1052 



University, are instructive. Referring- to a report on the brain drain 

 by the Interagency Council on International P^ducational and Cultural 

 AfTairs of which he was chairman, Dr. Frankel explained that it con- 

 tained "as many questions as answers. It suggests some ideas about 

 how to think about the problem; it does not offer any grand formula 

 for solving the problem easily or quickly." And he added: ''To my 

 mind, any reasonable man who devotes time to thinking about the 

 issues raised by the so-called 'brain drain' will discover that they are 

 thorny and difficult." ^* 



Scope and Design of the Study 



This study is not a history of the brain drain nor a statistical anal- 

 ysis of talent migration. Neither is it a history of U.S. foreign polic}?^, 

 administrative action, and institutional involvement, nor a detailed 

 commentary on the conduct of American diplomacy concerning this 

 problem. Rather, it is an attempt to determine the larger meaning of 

 the brain drain issue, and to explore its many facets as a problem that 

 on the surface ai^pears to have only an indirect bearing on American 

 foreign policy, but in the long term could prove to be a matter of 

 significant national concern. One result of the exploration is to show 

 hoAv a nation whose strength, power, prestige, and authority derive 

 largely from the successful application of science and technology can 

 liave-an unintended disrupting effect upon those less privileged nations 

 which are striving toward modernity. Every effort has been made in 

 this study to simplify the complexities of this problem, illuminate its 

 obscurities, and create at least an understanding of its interacting role 

 between American diplomacy and science and technology. 



This study minimizes statistical compilations. Wliere possible statis- 

 tics showing patterns of migration are given to suggest the existence 

 of this problem and to indicate in a general way its parameters. It 

 seeks to answer such questions as : What is the brain drain ? Is this a 

 problem peculiar to contemporary society or does it liave roots in 

 history ? What are the trends and patterns in the brain drain since the 

 end of World War II ? Kow does the United States fit into this evolv- 

 ing phenomenon ? What are the causes of the brain drain ? What are 

 the "push" factors in countries of origin and the "pull" factors in 

 countries of destination? What are the effects of the brain drain in 

 both the losing and gaining countries? Does it impair development 

 processes among the LDCs? What are the implications of the brain 

 drain. for American foreign policy? Does it work at cross-purposes 

 with American programs of international development? What are 

 the areas of institutional involvement? Are tliere remedies for the 

 brain drain ? And, finally, what are the trends for the future ? Is this a 

 durable problem for the United States, or is it only transitory ? 



In attempting to respond to these questions, concrete examples are 

 cited to illustrate the particular points under discussion. Yet caution 

 has been exercised in not generalizing too broadly from specific cases. 

 Admittedly, questions bearing directly on stages of development, on 

 the "effective demand" rather than just the "need" for skills, and on 

 divers manpower and education policies, all on a global scale, com- 



"ibld., p. 13. 



