Think tank - SpeedyLook encyclopedia

Origin

The term comes from the English because of many the think tanks with the the United States and means “reserve of ideas” or “box where to think”. It was spread at the time of the second world war but indicates a reality much older. One generally considers that the first think tank was the Fabian Society , created in 1884 to promote social reforms. Some estimate that the first truth think tank is Brookings Institution created in 1916.

There does not exist precise and unanimous definition term. The border remains fuzzy compared to a pressure or lobby (lobby), a Political movement, a cabinet of consultants, a ONG having a vocation of proposal or a “company of thought” gathering of the elites which seek to change the world. In France, political clubs with the service of a party or a candidate or simple think tank and of futurology within an administration often like to avoid prestigious denomination of think tank , which increases confusion. In general, a think tank claims to make an objective analysis of the world for Community property, and not to the profit of private interests, and thus to express a share of the “public opinion” intellectual. Many considers that the success of the think tank represents the emergence of the civil society as well as that of ONG. In addition, it is current that a think tank is claimed of a particular whole of values, or of a specific grid of analysis of the company. Its role will be to bring the public debate on the topics which are due to him in heart to support its positions (“to make the diary” of the public debate, would say the American sociologists).

To take again a distinction often employed in addition to the Atlantic, would have emerged successively:

of the “Universities without students”, like the Carnegie Foundation, especially producing general reflections and books;
of the think tank advising the great administrations like the Rand Corporation;
of the think tank very ideologized (of which much néo-preserving) which “pleads” for a cause ( advocacy thanks ) near the media, of the public opinion and, of course, especially of the decision makers.

The think tank contribute to the circulation of the elites, for example while being used as reserve of talents or while allowing the members of an administration of “pantoufler” and to prepare their return when their party is driven out capacity.

Generally, the think tank has a statute of foundation or association with nonlucrative goal. The financings vary according to the organizations: some refuse any public allocation. Others live thanks to the public funds but refuse the gifts of company. The Cato Institute, think American tank , has for example following ventilation in its receipts: 83 % of its incomes came from private individuals, 11 % of associations, 2 % of companies, and 4 % of the income of the sales of works or the formations. Contrary, the Institut of the company is financed with 100 % by the companies adhérentes.

The think tanks and comparable oragnisations of which there exists a whole very different typology in France and in the USA, for example, defend of the ideas varied like the economic Libertés (neoliberalism), the Social justice, the freedom of the Santé, the education, the ethical , the Religion, etc Certains can specialize in a field like technologies or the statégie, others are more general practitioners. Work of some has an international repute and they weigh in the Politique, in particular with the the United States. They played a great part - almost programming science - in what one called the preserving revolution of the years 1970-1980. Under the mandate of G. W. Bush, who largely recruited her advisers in the néo-preserving think tanks like Heritage or the Project for has New American Century, their capacity became very visible, reinforced by a media force presence (one speaks about media tanks ). They are considered, beside the ONG, Lobbies, associations representing the Civil society, etc, like characteristics of the " companies of Influence " , by contrast with the old companies of Authority.

Principal think tank

Classification per year of foundation.

National situations

France

Among the think tank French , nonaffiliated to a political party, one counts in particular the Club of vigilant the, the Institut Montaigne, Confrontations Europe, Our Europe, IDDRI, CEPII, the Fondation Agrees, Institut Turgot, Euroreflex, the Foundation of Prometheus companies. The intellectual agency Telos, chaired by Zaki Laïdi since 2005, confronts without spirit in favor of the standpoint on political questions and economic. The political Foundation of Service is a think tank created into 1992 which intends to analyze the great contemporary debates in the light of the teaching of the Church, and in particular of its social doctrines. The Circle Alexis de Tocqueville is a think apolitical tank aiming at developing the public and private governorship. It offers an opinion column of reflection by the publication of articles on varied topics.

As regards foreign politics the Iris and the Ifri are both think most important tanks , the second considered on the right (or less anti-American) that the first. For its part, the Institute Choiseul for the international policy and the geoeconomy is distinguished from its two counterparts by having an abundant leading pole dedicated to the international relations and strategic publishing in particular the reviews Géoéconomie, total Sécurité, Nordiques, American Politique, Problèmes of Latin America, Chinese Monde and the Maghreb-Machrek.

Some think tanks or think tank and of influence are on the other hand related more or less explicitly with political parties: the Foundation Gabriel-Perished (PCF), Foundation Jean-Jaurès (PS) and the Foundation Robert Schuman (UDF). Created in 2004 on the initiative of Jerome Monod, the Fondation for the political innovation initially was near to the UMP, before reaching a full independence after being disavowed by Nicolas Sarkozy, once this one become President of UMP. In Strasbourg, among the last born of the think tank French with European vocation, one can quote the Carolus Forum, created on the initiative of François Loos, deputy secretary with industry.

The United States

The United States is probably the country in which the think tank have the most influence. One can quote the Project for the New American Century, the Cato Institute, the Hoover Institution, the Brookings Institution, the RAND Corporation or the American Enterprise Institute.

Germany

The German political parties were among the first to be obtained foundation, in particular the CDU with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung or SPD with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung .

The United Kingdom

The British situation is rather close to the American situation with many think tank influential: Adam Smith Institute, Institute for Public Policy Research, Center for Policy Studies.

See too

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