Think tanks—Who needs them?: Advising a government in a democratic society

Abstract In democratic societies the government may be advised on policy problems by bodies of individuals not part of the government. These bodies are called external advisory bodies and are composed of either individuals representing a group in society or individuals representing themselves. For example, the Netherlands Social Economic Council (SER) is composed of representatives from the labour unions and the employer organizations and of crown appointees. This article looks at the contribution these bodies can make to the functioning of a democratic society. It focuses on the role of the Netherlands Scientific Council for Government Policy.