Art, education, and the democratic commitment

"The book offers an argument in favor of subsidizing the arts. For readers already in favor of subsidy, the book offers a distinctly political rationale for government support: engaging the arts helps develop the intellectual faculties of judgment. By appealing to art's instrumental ability to educate democratic citizens, the book avoids the most common criticisms of subsidy, namely that it is elitist and paternalistic. For those who oppose subsidy or are undecided, the book injects new ideas into the debate and maps arts subsidy onto the larger landscape of political liberalism."

"Yet while using political liberalism as its point of departure, the book's positive argument for subsidy draws on numerous philosophical traditions, including continental philosophy and the philosophy of art. The book should serve a variety of readers, including political philosophers, philosophers of art, art historians, policy makers, and practicing artists interested in the subsidy issue."--Jacket.