Lesson 4 Pressure Groups

Think Tanks

Listen to to the podcast and follow the link

Think tanks are organizations that conduct research and provide analysis and advice on public policy issues. They often provide reports, policy briefs, and recommendations to governments, corporations, and non-governmental organizations. Think tanks are usually composed of experts from various disciplines, such as economics, political science, sociology, and history. The goal of think tanks is to provide unbiased, evidence-based assessments of issues and to offer advice on how to address them. 

Think tanks have been criticized for their lack of transparency and accountability, their close ties to corporate interests, and their potential to influence public policy in ways that are not in the public interest. Critics have argued that think tanks are too often used to advance the interests of the wealthy and powerful, while neglecting the needs of the general public. They have also been accused of promoting a narrow ideological agenda and of providing biased research. Additionally, some have argued that think tanks are not sufficiently independent from government and corporate interests, and that their research is often used to support predetermined policy outcomes.