Underestimating the Value of Culture
There is a lot wrong with the report from An Bord Snip Nua. In particular, it reflects a complete ignorance of the importance of art.
The Hog, 06 Aug 2009
In the middle of July, just as the nation’s elected representatives packed their bags for their extremely lengthy summer hols, the tiny elite group of fiscal conservatives widely known as An Bord Snip Nua produced their review of Government spending. While the ranks of Tuscany could scarce forebear to cheer, the ranks of everywhere else were less chuffed.
The great and good have cut and thrust at the report, and at each other, over the analysis and recommendations. Like many others, the Hog has opinions about much of the document — but that’s not the target of this column.
One can rumble back and forth over the detail, but that’s to be drawn into the game on the other’s terms. It is far more interesting to look at the underlying assumptions and ideologies that inhere.
While the authors have not been shy about using their elbows where it suited, in general they have stuck to the narrow objective of looking at spending only. The prospect that particular cuts might lead to even greater inefficiencies, or subsequent increases in expenditure, is just too bad. And the report seems to ignore the fact that in many enterprises, wages are actually increasing.
The authors can argue that they had to stick to their parameters, and that’s probably fair enough. Also, the current high tide of old-school economics isn’t necessarily a bad thing, given firstly the profusion of often overlapping public services established by Government (not by the public service itself, though you’d not know that if you were to heed the anti-public service ranter commentariat) and secondly the excesses of bankers and builders. But its value set is too narrow to prepare Ireland for the next leap forward.
By way of example, the text of the review indicates that there should be cuts in the arts area, since this is a low priority for spending in the current very straitened circumstances.
If you are simply bookkeeping, maybe so. Or perhaps the Bord are of the view that arts and culture are hoity-toity elite pursuits and what we need is to spend more time swallyin’ pints an’ singin’ ballads an’ makin’ recitations…
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