Just thinking
The news that the prime minister thinks it worthwhile, essential even, to hire them, think tanks are a crutch for governments and a multitude of organisations. They have become an essential part of modern life judging by the non stop outpouring of information, projections and ideas.
They operate all over the world, researching for, lobbying and offering advice to governments, political parties, organisations and the public, covering a vast range of subjects including economics, education, military affairs, technical and social.
Funded often by wealthy donors and government grants they have a huge influence, useful, but potentially dangerous in its effect on on the public by vital decisions.
It is part and parcel of society today but it goes back a long way its simplest form as far as 600, first employed by kings but it has flourished psince the 1950d and 60s, taken up assiduously in Britain by the governments and now in every country in the world.
It has become an essential political tool not just in research and advice but in advocating policy. It is often biased, a form of canvassing, and it encourages lack of thought, encouraging laziness.
Dangerous.
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