ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the consequences of the Continental and Anglo-American traditions influence on the development of think tanks in Germany, the UK, Denmark and at the EU-level. The politics of think tanks concerns how the interplay between the two traditions has affected the ability of the state and the market to shape the development of think tanks in each of the four political systems. In political systems inspired by the Continental tradition, think tanks develop because the state desires expert knowledge to inform its public policies. The chapter suggests that think tanks do not substantially change policy-making, as policy-making traditions are relatively stable in the member state cases. The EU-level is seen as a special case in which both traditions have been influential. The politics of think tanks runs deep and reflects disagreement at the EU-level over the future of the EU. The increasing number of think tanks has contributed towards more competition for joining public policy conversations.
