Liberalism, Art, and Funding

Since Ronald Dworkin published A Matter of Principle, a host of critics have attempted to systematically dismantle his arguments advocating state support for the arts that appear in a chapter entitled, "Can a Liberal State Support Art?"1 The combined critical force of Noël Carroll, Samuel Black, and most recently, Harry Brighouse, has dislodged the main supports of Dworkin's position on this subject. [...]more needs to be said concerning the NEA's selection process of certain art and whether, even if the state has a compelling interest in funding the arts, their obtains a sort of selection procedure that could assure a reasonable degree of impartiality. [...]these assumptions offer a charitable reading to opponents of state support for the arts, since they do not need defend themselves against charges that lack of public provision for art is the primary fashion in which poor citizens gain exposure to it. 4. [...]commercialization will foster artwork that offers consistent profits with low risk and low production costs on the part of the producer. 10.