Chatham House Rules

Posted by Barney on January 30, 2003

In Reply to: Chatham House Rules posted by ESC on January 30, 2003

: : see here:www.geocities.com/ Pacific_Future/const_chatham.html
: : It means a forum in which individual views can be expressed confidentially, without future attribution or risk to reputation where an individual has a "status position" as well as a personal opinion. The info aired in this forum CAN be referred to anonymously.

: Interesting. I'd heard the term but didn't know what it meant.

The phrase is of relatively recent origin 1980's perhaps and refers to a real place in London; Chatham House - the headquarters of the Royal Institute for International Affairs and one of the most respected of the Foreign Policy think tanks.

It's an independent research organisation which has gained a reputation as a place where the establishment can get together and exchange ideas - if necessary, under what's become known as Chatham House Rules of confidentiality.