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Think tanks

Author

Listed:
  • Leeson, Peter T.
  • Ryan, Matt E.
  • Williamson, Claudia R.

Abstract

This paper is the first to investigate the relationship between think tanks and economic policy empirically. We use panel data for the US states to examine state-based, free market (SBFM) think tanks’ relationship to eight key economic policy objectives. We find little evidence that SBFM think tanks are associated with more “pro-market” policies along the policy dimensions they aim to influence. However, we find stronger evidence that SBFM think tanks are associated with more “pro-market” citizen attitudes about the role of government vs. markets in economic policy. These results suggest that if think tanks’ connection to economic policy is important at all, its importance may be long term and operate via the channel of “ideas.” In contrast to think tanks, we find evidence that political lobby groups are associated with current policy. This may reflect the fact that, unlike think tanks, lobby groups are legally permitted to lobby for policy changes directly. Thus they don’t need to engage in a long-run “battle of ideas” to secure desired policy outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Leeson, Peter T. & Ryan, Matt E. & Williamson, Claudia R., 2012. "Think tanks," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(1), pages 62-77.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jcecon:v:40:y:2012:i:1:p:62-77
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jce.2011.07.004
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Benjamin Powell & Matt E. Ryan, 2017. "The Global Spread of Think Tanks and Economic Freedom," Journal of Private Enterprise, The Association of Private Enterprise Education, vol. 32(Fall 2017), pages 17-31.
    2. Joshua C. Hall & Dean Stansel & Danko Tarabar, 2015. "Economic Freedom Studies at the State Level: A Survey," Working Papers 15-07, Department of Economics, West Virginia University.
    3. Jesper Dahl Kelstrup, 2017. "Quantitative differences in think tank dissemination activities in Germany, Denmark and the UK," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 50(1), pages 125-137, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Think tanks; Economic policy; Institutions; Ideology; Interest groups;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H10 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - General
    • H70 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - General
    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State

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