JonboyE

Isn't one of the roles of government to force people to do things that are good for them, but that they wouldn't do without coercion?

Alan2005

Yes it is. But where do you draw the line? Why isn't the government forcing me to eat lots of fruit and veg a day?

fledermaus

That will happen once the leaflets don't do the trick.

What about funding for Science Museums, Natural History, Astronomy etc. Should they be funded??

When I was in Copenhagen one time I was asked which beer I wanted to drink, would I support the arts or science? Carlsberg has an excellent art gallery in the city, and Tuborg has a science centre. Apparently.

Alan2005

I guess it comes down to where the state stops an where individual responsibility starts. The line has to be somewhere, even though we will disagree on where it is.

I quite like the idea of funding via my beer drinking. That idea has merit.

DaveLovesDee

But you could make a choice of either or neither. Where is your choice of which art to fund inCanada or the UK?

I doubt most of us choose which art the government supports. The people who decide what publicly-funded art will be shown are people who aren't elected by voters but are often Quango patronage appointments of whomever donated sums of money to that political party's treasure chest. At least that's the impression I get.

lagerhoover

They are - check out your liability on your insurance.

Alan2005

I'm pretty sure it doesn't say 'unless you can prove you've eaten an apple, or maybe a carrot, we aren't treating you'

R I C H

I'll add to the debate with the attached document - some thought provoking reasons for/against public funding of art.

Abstract: This paper examines rationales that have been put forward by philosophical liberals, economists, and communitarians in support of public funding of the arts. It finds that for each of these rationales the decency-and-respect provision on funding is justifiable. The paper concludes with a speculative discussion of the economics of the “artworld”.

JonboyE

We also have not discussed the pure economic justification of public funding for the arts.

Artistic endeavor attracts visitors (aka tourists) who spend money and therefore create taxes. I have no idea what the pluses and minuses are, but the government funding is not lost down a black hole.

Alan2005

I actually read that - interesting in that all the points it covers are pretty much covered in this thread as well. Maybe we aren't as stupid as we look.... then again.

Yes - that's true. Though that should be measured and published.