Claim: Nations should suspend government funding for the arts when significant numbers of their citizens are hungry or unemployed.Reason: It is inappropriate—and, perhaps, even cruel—to use public resources to fund the arts when people's basic needs are n

One of the most crucial criterion of any successful government is the ability to determine the people's main priorities. The government's fiscal prudence and the proper allocation of money and resources are considered together as important elements that mainly contribute to the development of any nations. According to the statement, the author asserts the nations should suspend government funding for the arts in case of certain situations, such as : hunger and increasing of numbers of unemployed people. As far as I concern, I agree with the author's claim and in the following passages I will try to explain and discuss my position.

the first point I would like to shed the light on, art is not considered as one of the basic elements for the individual's survival. It seems inappropriate and meaningless if the government continues funding art when people are suffering from sever hunger and many of them cannot find job. The government's main responsibilities are providing food, shelter and jobs. Spiritual and mental needs like arts, should come second. People cannot taste the art while they are hungry and with no jobs. For instances, people in the developing countries suffer from limited food resources, unavailability of job and bad health services. In those countries, art doesn't have a place and the government tries to satisfy people's basic needs.

It might be also tempting to agree with the author on the basis that art patronising is not the government's responsibility because government funding of the art affects its integrity. Private and charity organisations support art and artists in many countries. Several private organisations sponsor most of the concerts and in turn benefit from part of the concert's revenue. Moreover, people pay taxes to improve their lives quality and they won't accept that their taxes are used to support the art while others cannot find food or job. Hunger and unemployment are major threats that jeopardise the society's peace and stability.

Additionally, meeting the basic individual's needs has a great impact on the progress and development of any society. It is the people who push any country and are the basic units that can build a successful community. Therefore, the government should pay more attention to well develop these basic units and spend money on creating more job opportunities. It is also important to consider that the government should encourage the foreigner investors and businessmen to invest their money and establish different projects which could provide more job positions and help in decreasing the unemployment rate.

On the other hand, some could argue that when the government stop funding the art, this might cause another social problem. People who work in art could suffer when the resources become limited. Even more, this action could result in more unemployed persons. Consequently, instead of solving the problem of hunger and unemployment, the community would have more unemployed people.

In conclusion, weighing down and considering all the points that mentioned above even if the art is important for the society, government should first provide the basic individual's needs before spending money on funding arts.