Think Tanks: 3 Keys for Restoring Trust in the Time of Political Uncertainty
Public trust in government has been declining for decades, but in 2022 it hit a record low. According to the Pew Research Center, 29% of Democrats and a mere 9% of Republicans reported that they trust the government. Gallup finds a similarly dramatic decline in American trust across government institutions. For example, according to 2021 data, only 36% of Americans trust the Supreme Court, and just 12% trust Congress. Further skepticism persists around civic society, with only 32% of Americans trusting public schools and an even lower 21% trust rate for newspapers.
As the head of a Washington, DC, think tank engaged in policy research in support of free markets and limited, effective government, this moment of political uncertainty weighs heavily on me. Lack of trust is ubiquitous. It has infiltrated not only cable news and political discourse but also our individual relationships. So how do we lift ourselves out of this doom loop of uncertainty and instability and restore trust in one another and in our government?
I recommend we start by investing heavily in three key areas: credibility, conflict and collaboration. And think tanks have a vital role to play.
Credibility
In our line of work, credibility is fundamental to our value proposition. If our stakeholders don’t deem us trustworthy, a think tank focused on public policy research and solutions simply can not survive.
To be credible, our think tank has developed a clear governance structure as well as internal controls to reinforce our research independence.
Of course, how we behave is also central to building external credibility. We can’t ignore that we are part of the political process. Just like any business, a think tank is made up of human beings who are engaged and passionate about their work—in this case, advancing sensible, limited government policies.
But we shouldn’t run away from this—quite the opposite. We must address it head-on and acknowledge the diversity of thought that informs our organization’s perspective by being straightforward about our ideology and values, as well as how we make decisions. Only through transparency can we be held accountable—and accountability is what ultimately establishes integrity and trustworthiness.
Conflict
America was built on conflict. Certainly, some of the famous feuds stand out—Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr—but debate during the early republic was pervasive, even central, to the formation of the country. We ought to learn from the founding and strengthen our ability to engage in healthy conflict.
As a think tank, we have to participate in the free exchange of ideas. If we start to self-censor, we risk siloing ourselves into polarized echo chambers. Instead, we must embrace meaningful discourse that enables us to consider new ideas while understanding the limitations of our own perspectives so that we can ultimately advance stronger ideas.
At R Street, we see this starting internally within our organization. We prioritize opportunities for dialogue—in large part because we believe it helps us fulfill our mission. If we can’t engage in debate amongst ourselves around complicated public policy—whether privacy, the environment or criminal justice reform—we certainly can’t engage externally. Healthy conflict is a way of testing our ideas and making them stronger.
Collaboration
We must build stronger collaborations in order to find common ground in an increasingly complex and volatile political environment.
Robert Putnam saw the writing on the wall in 2000 when he published Bowling Alone. He understood that a decline in civic spaces and engagement would have a serious impact on American society by limiting important social networks. The loss of bowling groups or other social groups has limited opportunities for healthy civic discourse—and in its place, we have anonymous and unhealthy social media wars.
Think tanks can play an important role here by driving informed conversations and collaborations. We have an opportunity to lead by building relationships that challenge us or even make us uncomfortable. The old adage “politics makes strange bedfellows” is absolutely correct. Partisanship cannot stand in the way of building good ideas together.
Our organization prioritizes collaborations and coalitions. Finding even one point of agreement enables us to break down barriers, advance stronger policy and, perhaps most importantly, remind and reinforce the notion that holding different perspectives doesn’t mean we’re not all on the same team.
Americans have navigated uncertainty before. However, as distrust within the country and the world intensifies, we all have a responsibility to fight the temptation to retreat into our comfortable echo chambers. Because in echo chambers, we neither challenge nor are challenged.
Think tanks have a critical role to play in navigating these politically uncertain times and rebuilding trust. By investing in credibility, healthy conflict and collaboration, we are engaging in a sound strategy toward rebuilding trust and active depolarization. And ultimately, this is what will enable us to emerge from this period of political instability even stronger than before.