It is often argued that governments should invest money in public services rather than cultural activities. Although public services need governments’ funding, I firmly argue that to save every nation’s identity and to ensure a stable economy, governments should allocate funds for cultural activities.
To begin with, governments should invest in cultural activities like arts, music, and theatre because they represent a nation’s identity and pass cultural values to the next generation. Every culture’s arts contain their own emotion, ethics, and social norms, and every nation has its own identity. By participating in cultural activities, children can learn much about their identity and social norms. So, governments should arrange many cultural programs and encourage their youth to participate in them. For example, last year in Japan, their government arranged 20 cultural programs to inform about their culture, social norms, and behavior to their young generation and the whole world. These programs were greatly appreciated by many academics, and they said that by arranging these kinds of activities, governments can protect their culture from extinction.
Furthermore, the arts also contribute to the national economy and stabilize a nation’s GDP. People visit many countries to see other nations’ cultural heritage, and governments can make a good amount of profit from them. A clear illustration can be seen in Italy, where many people visit in a year to see ancient Rome and the artworks of great Italian artists. Italy’s government reported that 30% of its national annual income comes from these tourists. Thus, it is not a waste of investment if a government provides funding for cultural activities.
In conclusion, the arts play a significant role in protecting a nation’s identity from extinction and contribute to economic growth. Thus, I firmly believe that governments should invest in the arts, and it is not a waste of money.