We live in an era of priorities, not ideals. Under any form of govern-ment, there is not enough public money available to fund everything worthy of support. Money spent on art and culture needs, like everything else, to be justified against other areas of public subsidy. It is not good enough to protect your own corner of public expenditure without considering the consequences for others. An expansion of the budget for art and culture means a reduction of the budget for social services, education, housing, or some other area of public provision. Without a substantial increase in all forms of public spend ing, it is socially irresponsible to spend money on art and culture if it cannot be rigorously justified.
While this book argues that the cultural system provided by the free market alone is inadequate and limited, it acknowledges that the defence put up by the arts establishment against the free marketeers is smug and insubstantial. Why should working-class people as tax-payers, subsidize entertainment for the educated middle classes? …
