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Think tanks: meaning
Think tanks (though non-governmental) seek to exert a degree of influence over government policies and the research produced by them can be used to advise government officials.
Think tanks
Think tanks are nonprofit companies comprised of an assortment of subject-specific specialists who research and investigate specific topics. Prominent think tanks in the UK include the Fabian Society, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the Institute for Fiscal Studies and the National Bureau of Economic Research.
A large majority of these tanks focus on a specific policy area, whilst some take on a broader unit of analysis, such as social policy. Many (though not all) think tanks have political leanings which can affect their ability to influence government.
If the Conservatives are the party of leadership it is unlikely that they will collaborate with a think tank that sits on the far left of the political spectrum, instead, the Conservative Party may take advice from think tanks such as the Bow Group or who have conservative opinions and have, in fact, had a number of Conservative MPs within its rank.
Think tanks are not specific to the UK and in nations across the world think tanks have contributed to important outcomes when it comes to government policy. To demonstrate this we can consider the far-reaching influence of the French think tank Institut Français des Relations Internationales (IFRI). Focusing on international relations, this think tank partners with over 80 NGOs, private individuals and state-funded organisations, signifying the ability of a think tank to spread its preferred message. Some commentators have suggested that think tanks have an uncanny ability to affect policy by appearing impartial when this is rarely the case.
Though think tanks were evident in the UK and the United States from the nineteenth century onwards, the term did not come into parlance during World War II as a sanctuary for ideas to be discussed. They had influenced individuals in elite study groups until this point but only had a small effect on policies until after 1945. Then think tanks began to mushroom, playing an instrumental role in the creation of the United Nations, the growth of liberal democracies and informing policy during the Cold War. Thanks to globalisation, the number of think tanks, and their priorities, have continued to evolve. The United States has the largest number of think tanks today.
Fig. 1 - United Nations headquarters in Geneva
Functions of think tanks
The main function of a think tank are as follows:
- Research areas of expertise and interest.
- Use findings to influence governmental policies.
Think tanks may do this by using an array of resources to forward their research, this could be through conversations with media publications, directly speaking to their political connections or collaborating with civil servants and an array of other organisations that operate within the policy sphere. The fact that think tank membership is almost exclusively experts in their field. As a result, they have the potential to have more political clout than an interest group.
Fig. 2 - Margaret Thatcher, Conservative leader during the 1980s
The Centre for Policy Studies was instrumental in the conceptualisation of many of Margaret Thatcher's policies as early as the 1970s and continues to do so today in a Conservative British government, believed to be the Conservative's most influential think tank.
The function of think tanks is to act as a source of expert knowledge and a place in which innovative ideas and approaches can be created. Think tanks function as intermediaries through the facilitation of an exchange of information.1 James Smith describes think tanks as 'idea brokers' given the fact that they can act as conduits between the academic and political spheres. As recently as 2022, the Centre for Policy Studies suggested that communities should have more control when it comes to planning for new housing making this research beneficial for popularity when the policy is created.2
Think tanks are often viewed as a source of credible information that provides research in a manner that is easily understandable to those who have the power to make policy decisions. Members of Parliament are not experts in every field in the vast breadth of policymaking. They can therefore continually rely on their trusted think tanks when evaluating different proposals. Crucially, this information is always presented for the layman to digest.
Think tanks are not to be confused with pressure groups. Unlike pressure groups, think tanks do not engage in direct campaigns for changes to policies. They are also associated with impartiality, presenting their points through research, even if they do often have an agenda or particular political affiliation. Pressure groups have a greater emphasis on ideology.
Need more information? Check out our article on pressure groups!
Think tank governance structure
In the UK think tanks are not official parts of government structures. In fact, most think tanks are non-governmental institutions that operate within the charity sector. Think tanks are usually funded by charitable groups and organisations.
The governance structure of think tanks usually comprises a board, executive direction, senior managers and institutional structure.
| Think Tank Structure | |
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Impartiality: think tanks are formed with a mission statement that seeks to make the world a better place. They diversify their priorities and funding sources to enable this. | Incorrect members on the board: should a think tank begin to be aligned politically, there is a chance that non-academic members may be involved at the board level, jeopardising the integrity of the research. |
| Data-driven: think tanks provide hard and discrete data from experts. This means they have a greater ability to influence policy, especially if former politicians have connections with them. | May be obsolete: if a think tank is researching an area where policy is effective or something obscure then it may play a minor role. However, there is always the option of innovating and changing. |
The function of the boards of think tanks is to make sure the think tank in question stays focused on its mission and has access to adequate resources to undergo its research.
Examples of think tanks
In the United Kingdom, there are more than 120 think tanks. These cover everything from housing to immigration. Let's dive into some of the prominent ones!
The Runnymede Trust
The Runnymede Trust is a non-partisan think tank that is focused on matters of racial injustice in the UK. The Think Tank was established in 1968 and has been at the forefront of providing research and policy recommendation in a bid to tackle racial injustice and move towards racial equality. The Runnymede Trust has contributed to the decolonisation of the UK higher education curriculum and has worked to challenge the government's immigration decisions, with particular respect to the Windrush Scandal.
The Fabian Society
The Fabian Society is a socialist think tank that is credited as being the first think tank to have emerged in the UK. The Fabian Society was founded in 1884 and is a left-wing think tank with close ties to the Labour Party. The Fabian Society served to influence a number of Labour policies during Labour's time as the party of leadership and a number of Labour PMs have been a part of the Fabian Society such as Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. The Fabian Society is an example of an incredibly partisan think tank and is one that would not have much sway with a leadership party such as the conservatives due to its long-standing Labour affiliations. In the 21st century, they have focused on childcare and the economic burden that it places on families.
The Fabian Society was responsible for founding the London School of Economics in 1895. This is a prestigious, top 5 UK University that is world-renowned for its economic and political research.
The Bow Group
The Bow Group is a right-wing think tank that forwards conservative policies, research and agendas. The think tank has a journal that is published quarterly, where the think tank's research and policy agenda is publicised. The Bow Group was established in 1951 to provide a viable opposition to the Fabian Society and has seen a number of Conservative Party members join its ranks. In the 1970s and the 1980s, the Bow Group along with other right-wing think tanks were influential in influencing Thatcher's conservative economic policies and pushing a post-Keynesianism. Former Conservative Prime Minster John Major served as the head of the Bow Group in 2012 further highlighting the think tank's close affinity to the Conservative Party. Most recently, the research has focused on Covid-19 and immigration.
Fig. 3 - Former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair in 2002
Other Think Tanks
A number of other think tanks have served to be incredibly influential over UK government policy, such as the Open EU think tank. This think tank was concerned with analysing the relationship between the EU and the UK. The open EU think tank was responsible for producing the static that highlighted the UK's £33 million pound annual contribution to the European Union. This statistic was then used by pro-Brexit politicians (particularly members of the UK Independence Party) as justification for the UK's removal from the EU. It was suggested that if the UK was removed from the EU this £33 million could instead be invested in the NHS. This was used largely as a ploy to gain the support of the UK population.
Think tanks: overview
Whilst think tanks are described as a collection of experts, this may not always be exclusively the case as Misztal notes.
While the insulation of the academic fields from the political and economic spheres enables academic intellectuals to play their role of social critics, think tanks are less protected from external powers and more oriented at endorsing or preserving their corporate interest.3
- Barbara A. Misztal, 'Public Intellectuals and Think Tanks: A Free Market in Ideas?', 2012
Despite this critique, think tanks generally provide a bridge between 'scholars' and policymakers and are influential in influencing government agendas. Unlike the Civil Service which operates under the control of the UK government, think tanks provide an outsider voice on a wide array of matters which serve to help the government implement knowledge-based policies.
Think Tanks - Key takeaways
- Think tanks are independent organisations that present research to government officials and help inform policy.
- Many think tanks have political leanings.
- Think tanks function as intermediaries through the facilitation of an exchange of information between expert scholars/academics and policymakers.
- Think tanks do not engage in direct campaigns for changes to policies.
- Think tanks are usually funded by charitable groups and organisations.
References
- Center for International Private Enterprise, The Role of Think Tanks, accessed September 2022
- Alex Moreton and Samuel Hughes, 'Giving Back Control', The Centre for Policy Studies. (8th Nov. 2022).
- Barbara A. Misztal, 'Public Intellectuals and Think Tanks: A Free Market in Ideas?', International Journal of Politics, Culture, and Society, Vol. 25, No. 4, Public Intellectuals (December 2012), pp. 127-141.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Think Tanks
What are think tanks in politics?
Think tanks are comprised of an assortment of experts who produce research to influence government policies.
What is an example of think tank?
The Runnymede Trust is an example of a think tank, its focus is on tackling racial injustice.
What are the functions of think tanks?
The main function of think tanks is to influence government policy, however, they also serve as a source of expert knowledge and facilitate the exchange of information.
Do think tanks have an impact on government decisions?
Yes think tanks have an impact on government decisions, the degree to which they have an influence will be dependent on the subject focus of the think tank and its relationship to the leadership party.
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