The Role of Think Tanks Internationally Background Paper
Christine Loh Civic Exchange, Hong Kong November 2004 This abridged background paper on the role of think tanks from an international perspective is prepared for the CPU’s seminar on think tanks presented in conjunction with RTHK, the public broadcaster in Hong Kong, on 20 November 2004. The full version is available at www.civic-exchange.org
From their early development in the US a century ago, think tanks have now emerged in significant numbers in many countries. They may be truly independent or affiliated to other bodies, including universities, corporations as well as legislatures, political parties and governments. Likewise, they may be funded by government, corporations, private foundations or even individuals. “Think tanks” generally refer to non-profit research bodies that produce independent public policy materials to influence policy. Think tanks often have particular ideological leanings, and come in all shapes and sizes. The rise of think tanks parallels the rise of US global leadership. They arose as part of the need to modernize and professionalize the function of government, as well as to better understand the US’s global role as a ‘superpower’. With reportedly 1,200-2,000 think tanks, the US has the highest number of any nation. In the US, some 75% of its think tanks are affiliated with universities. There are reportedly a total of approximately 2,500 think tanks in the rest of the world. Two thirds of think tanks today are reckoned to have been established after 1970, and over half were created post-1980. There are two distinctive features that set US think tanks apart: firstly, there are many purely privately funded think tanks, and secondly, there is a high ability of think tanks to engage in public policy, and a longstanding willingness of policy-makers to turn to think tanks for advice on a regular basis. Think tanks provide: •
Fresh thinking and advice to governments and politicians;
•
A ‘revolving door’ for political appointees;
•
Venues for policy-makers to build understanding and consensus on policy options; and
•
Opportunities to inform the public about complex issues.
Since every country has its own historical and political traditions, and face different challenges, how think tanks function and what they focus on depend on local conditions. In the US, the think tank culture has been shaped by the sharp distinction between the legislative and executive branches of government, availability of substantial corporate and private funding, and well-established networking patterns between civil society and the government. Within a few years, Hong Kong has sprouted a range of young think tanks. There are opportunities to explore regional issues affecting South and Eastern China, since there are
many social, environmental and economic connection points between these areas with Hong Kong. There is also room for Hong Kong think tanks to study the city’s “external affairs” as the “one country, two systems” policy allows many types of international relations. Furthermore, with constitutional development set for continuous evolution, Hong Kong is already showing signs of becoming a centre for active research on political reform studies.