Good and Plenty: The Creative Successes of American Arts Funding

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How the US by luck and cunning got public funding right

Good and Plenty: The Creative Successes of American Arts Funding
Tyler Cowen
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0691120420

Book Description

Americans agree about government arts funding in the way the women in the old joke agree about the food at the wedding: it's terrible--and such small portions! Americans typically either want to abolish the National Endowment for the Arts, or they believe that public arts funding should be dramatically increased because the arts cannot survive in the free market. It would take a lover of the arts who is also a libertarian economist to bridge such a gap. Enter Tyler Cowen. In this book he argues why the U.S. way of funding the arts, while largely indirect, results not in the terrible and the small but in Good and Plenty--and how it could result in even more and better.

Few would deny that America produces and consumes art of a quantity and quality comparable to that of any country. But is this despite or because of America's meager direct funding of the arts relative to European countries? Overturning the conventional wisdom of this question, Cowen argues that American art thrives through an ingenious combination of small direct subsidies and immense indirect subsidies such as copyright law and tax policies that encourage nonprofits and charitable giving. This decentralized and even somewhat accidental--but decidedly not laissez-faire--system results in arts that are arguably more creative, diverse, abundant, and politically unencumbered than that of Europe.

Bringing serious attention to the neglected issue of the American way of funding the arts, Good and Plenty is essential reading for anyone concerned about the arts or their funding.

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How the US by luck and cunning got public funding right.......2007-04-22

Good research and scholarship can change the way we see the world. Tyler Cowen achieved this with his study of the counterproductive impact of the Marshall Plan that delivered aid to Europe after WW2. This story can be found on his web site and it might have warned the West off the disastrous aid programs to the Third World that were partly inspired by the Marshall Plan.

He has done it again in this book where his intention "to steer the arts policy debate away from its previous focus on the National Endowment for the Arts. More significant questions concern the use of our tax system to support nonprofits, creating a favourable climate for philanthropy, the legal treatment of the arts, the arts in the American university, and the evolution of copyright law. I also seek to recast the debate over direct funding of the arts...A more fruitful inquiry involves what general steps a government can take to promote a wide variety of healthy and diverse funding sources for the arts."

Cowen is a professor of economics at the George Mason University (Virginia) and a daily contributor to the blog Marginal Revolution. He has a special interest in the economics and dynamics of the arts and culture, using culture in the broad sense employed by T S Eliot to include the preparation and consumption of food. Ironically (or appropriately) the most popular page on his personal web site is his ethnic eating guide to the Northern Virginia, Washington DC and Maryland area.

He has previously challenged widespread views about the damaging influence of capitalism and mass consumer culture on the vitality and diversity of the arts. "In Praise of Commercial Culture" surveyed the last two or three centuries to show how the capitalist market economy provided a vital but underappreciated framework to support a wide range of artistic visions. In "Creative Destruction" he pursued the same theme to argue that international free trade in goods and ideas will alter or disrupt many particular cultures but the net result will be positive.

In "Good and Plenty" Cowen is looking for some middle ground between libertarians who oppose any kind of government interference in the arts and others who think that the very survival of the creative instinct depends on the generosity of governments. The book is a remarkable contribution at the conceptual level and also with the mass of information that he has assembled on the diverse forms of direct and indirect assistance that US governents have provided. He set out to bridge the gap between economic and aesthetic perspectives because neither of these approaches can stand alone as a tool for evaluating policy. He explains how the US managed to combine luck and cunning to organise arts funding in a remarkably effective way, bearing in mind that the controversial NEA program accounts for less than 1% of public support for the arts.

His chapter on "Indirect Subsidies: The Genius of the American System" catalogues the many forms of indirect support (form tax breaks to the universities) that represent the overwhelming majority of public funding for arts and culture. A chapter gives the history of direct funding, and he agrues, contra received opinion, that direct funding is likely to be too conservative. The descriptive material in these two chapters conveys a surprising and counter-intuitive perception of the role of the US governnment in cultural affairs. Another chapter gives a somewhat disconcerting account of the mounting challenges from cyberspace to the benefits that creators and distributors of cultural have gained from traditional copyright laws. He ends his (possibly) somewhat rose-tinted account with suggestions for improvement of the system.

To get straight on the figures, he reports that donations (from both individuals and corporations) listed as tax deductions for 'Arts, Culture and Humanities' amounted to $30 billion in 2003. Compare this with NEA funding which peaked at $175 million in 1992. He estimates that donations of time amount to some 390,000 volunteers with a dollar value in the order of $20 billion. In contrast the French government limits tax deductions for the arts to 1% of taxable income for individuals and 0.1% for corporations. Germany allows deductions but bureauctatic restrictions make the scheme unworkable.

Cowen casts his net wide for examples of indirect support such as the Government promotion of international free trade through the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and the World Trade Organisation. Imported artworks are exempt from duty and until recently we are advised that the US government turned a blind eye to imports of antiques from ancient civilisations that may have been stolen or acquired in black or grey markets. Yet another form of support is the higher education system which provides a niche for large numbers of writers, artists and musicians despite reservations by many creative people about academic influences.

Direct funding commenced in a small way in 1817 with a commission of paintings to celebrate the Revolutionary War. The New Deal in the 1930s produced the first large-scale effort with assorted programs including the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) employing 5000 artists per year at the peak and 40,000 all told. The total cost of WPA programs through the New Deal to their close in 1943 ran to the vicinity of $100 million, equivalent to $2 billion today.

The Cold War prompted government aid far in excess of the generosity of the New Deal, through such a wide range of agencies and programs (including comprehensive cultural contol in Germany, Austria and Japan for several years) that the amount of money involved is very hard to estimate. Cowen estimated that cultural outreach peaked in 1953 at $129 million, over $700 million in current dollars and that was only a part of a much larger propaganda effort that spent up to $2 billion per annum, employed over ten thousand people and reached 150 countries. As a wry aside, Cowen notes that the current allocation for military bands at $200 million exceeds the funds dispensed by the NEA.

Getting back to the domestic function of direct support for the arts, Cowen points out that agencies such as the National Endowment for the Arts can either act as venture capitalists to simulate new artistic ideas (hopefully picking artistic winners) or they can focus on works of high culture that have stood the test of time. Their efforts tend to be split between these roles, trying to be all things to all people to ensure their political survival. The sums of money distributed in direct support of the arts at home are negligible compared with the volume of indirect support and so the fuss about NEA funding is a storm in a teacup and it is most unhelpful that the debate on public funding for the arts is mostly about the use and abuse of these funds.

Book Description

Much has been written on the courtly dress and formal costumes of the Qing Dynasty, but this book is the first to offer a detailed account of the clothing worn by ordinary people. Valery Garrett's unique study looks at how life was lived, and the kind of clothing that was worn, in the rural areas of south China before political disturbances and the encroachment of urbanization changed so much for ever. The result is a valuable document of a traditional style of clothing, now fast disappearing.

Book Description

Reprinting legendary tales from the 1940s, ALL STAR COMICS ARCHIVES VOL. 8 features the original adventures of the world's premier super-team, the Justice Society of America. In this book of classic stories, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, Dr. Mid-Nite, Johnny Thunder and Hawkman must battle the villainy of the Wizard, Brainwave, Vandal Savage, the Gambler, Per Degaton, and the Thinker as the newly formed Injustice Society of the World.

Customer Reviews:

A Trip to the Height of Post-War JSA.......2005-02-21

All Star Comics (the golden age run) has two periods: the World War II Period and Post World War II period.

During World War II the super heros had a common enemy after World War II things began to drift. With their patriotic duty done and the television on its way the comic heros faced a decline. But before All Star Comics dumped its heros for western fare their came one shining light, the last glint of the golden age reprinted in All Star Archives #7 (worth it just for the Solomon Grundy dust up alone).

Volume 8 is not lacking in excitement. Here we have a scaled down Justice Society without the benefit of mystic counsel (no Spectre, Dr. Fate) or even the Sandman for that matter.

In number #34 they square off against the Wizard (a mystic foe who even today while under used still haunts the DC Universe).

In #35 the JSA fights one of their most stubborn foes Per Dagaton (who is currently feature in today's current JSA storyline) as he tries to undo progress by tampering with time itself. I'd just like to know what parents would name their kid Per Degaton??

#36 is a case so big that two of DC's biggest guns Superman and Batman have to lend a hand. This storyline spilled over to the 80's early in the run of Infintity Inc. which told the stories of the sons and daughters of the JSA before the dreaded Crisis and recon took over.

#37 has the villians team up to form an Injustice Society of their own (Holy Legion of Doom Batman). This story was reprinted in one of those 100 page DC Comics that I picked up as a kid and still love today. Der Degaton, the Wizard, the Thinker, Vandal Savage. How could this not miss.

#38 has the JSA facing off against some of histories greatest villians, but the real importance of this story is the start of the redemption of the Black Canary who at that time was considered a villian (though one with a heart of gold). This would set her up to join the JSA later on in the series, just in time to see its decline and eventual resurection in the 1960's,

Let's face it for all their crudeness there was a certain charm and vitality to these stories that you just don't see today and just can't read today 'cause the price of the originals would wreck your mortgage (and marriage).

A worthy collection for anyone's collection.

Degaton, The Wizard, Superman and Batman- Vol. 8.......2004-06-04

In this collection, The JSA hits the era where the villains were more colorful and the stories a bit more serious. Comic relief Johnny Thunder no longer plays a major role and the storylines were relatively sophisticated for "Golden Age" comics. The Wizard makes his first appearance, Per Degaton's time traveling causes a number of problems for the JSA, and the epic Injustice Society storyline are all in this volume. It also includes the last appearances of Superman and Batman in the JSA and the first appearance of Black Canary with art by one of comic's greatest Alex Toth. With another excellent Roy Thomas intro, this volume contains many of the JSA's best tales.

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Throughout 2006, Mighty Fine's "sophisticat" French Kitty takes that daring, darling Holly Golightly to new entertaining heights. This 16-month calendar includes a poster.

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Featuring ten new essays on different aspects of the compositions, artistic influences, and persona of Richard Strauss, The Strauss Companion explores the composer's relationship to his own work and to that of his noted contemporaries. Guided by not only musical interests but literary, political, and philosophical ones as well, Strauss is an ideal candidate for this sort of treatment. Following this discussion of his influences, the volume moves to a discussion of the works themselves, including operas, tone poems, and stage works; these compositions are explored analytically and also in terms of their critical reception. The final chapter investigates for the first time Strauss's much-neglected choral works, revealing their rich musical and vocal capacities, while a select bibliography and complete works-list round out the volume. These colorful and intriguing essays are written by some of the foremost American, German, British, and Canadian Strauss scholars of our time, making it an important resource for students not only of Strauss's work, but of all musical composition and art music.

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The Richard Strauss Companion
Mark-Daniel Schmid
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTW9JM

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Excellent Suppliment

Very Good

A great source book for futuristic ideas and equipment

Great Supplement! Must-Have for anyone playing future GURPS

GURPS Ultra-Tech: A Sourcebook of Weapons & Equipment for Future Ages
David L. Pulver
Manufacturer: Steve Jackson Games
ProductGroup: Book
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Excellent Suppliment.......2001-07-26

This GURPS sourcebook is designed to work well with any science fiction setting, and can easily be converted for use in a non-GURPS game. Hundreds of items are listed, described in relatively short capsules (1-3 paragraphs, usually) with good descriptions of game effects.

While the books is useful beyond description, there are a few (minor) flaws. First, for people inclined to mercantile campaigns, a great deal of the book deals with weapons and armor. Secondly, there is nothing to differentiate between hard-sf equipment and cinematic "rubber science" sci-fi type gear. For those of us who play games closer to Larry Niven than George Lucas, this can be irritating, especially if we know more about history than physics.

Very Good.......2000-02-19

I don't think this is GREAT utility but it is certainly very good. The book has several sections for different Tech Levels but only a handful of items that sometimes seem completely unrelated. I would have liked to have seen a whole mass of civilian items that seem more related as well as military. Very good but could have been better.

A great source book for futuristic ideas and equipment.......1998-11-12

Fantastic gaming source. Provides futuristic technologies and gadgets for any science fiction game, as well as some ideas on the changes society might go through in dealing with advanced technology.

Great Supplement! Must-Have for anyone playing future GURPS.......1997-08-14

I loved this book! If the technological device in a sci-fi book somewhere, the rules for having it are in here. It is organized by Tech Level so it is very easy to find what you want. There are also very good descriptions of possibilities of what life will be like in the future at every tech level. Of course at TL 15-16 things get a little hard to conceive. The book has a somewhat optomistic outlook on the future, which, compared to GURPS supplements like Cyberpunk is quite odd. This is a definite must have for people who want to play campaigns of high technology set in the future. Of course one should also look out for Ultra-Tech 2 which is in the process as I type. It has a good blend of playing rules for both cinematic and "realistic" and has rules for the following things that are vital
Cybernetics
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etc. I would definitely recommend this to people who play futuristic GURPS and to those who don't, try it, it's awesome!

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Dated, but still has some worth........2000-08-22

I found the beginning of this book difficult to get through. The ideas didn't seem well thought out at first. The recommendations for research were ancient. Once the author got into the "meat" of selling, the book was much better. It has very sound advice for beginning sales reps in regard to customer handling, objection handling, and asking open-ended questions. A seasoned sales rep would find this book a waste of time. A much better read is "Stop Telling, Start Selling" by Linda Richardson or the "Guerrilla Selling" series by Jay Conrad Levinson.

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We Are Not Forgotten: George Anderson's Messages of Love and Hope from the Other Side
Joel; Romanowski, Patricia Martin
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Civil War 1st Minn Regiment.......2007-08-13

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The Dream.......2006-06-17

This book is simply one few books that actually captures the war from the free side of Beirut. Unlike Robert Fisk's book, that is completely biased depiction of the war spinning everything on the anti-palestinian movement of the time, and to be more specific the christians of the free areas. This book shows what the Lebanese had to go through to maintain their survival in Lebanon and not leave it to be annexed by the Palestinians who somehow fought a battle in the wrong direction. Instead of fighting Israel they ended up fighting the Lebanese. Western reporters including fisk were obviously fooled by everything was going on. Fisk's book was accurate in depicting the details of the war, but was not accurate at all in depicting the political and nationalistic side of the war.

Barbara Newman reveals a whole new side of the war fought by the Lebanese. How they chose to fight each other at times instead of the real enemy. How Bachir Gemayel was betrayed by his own men, his own rabid dogs to be more specific. It is a great book that gives one of the greatest political leaders Lebanon was to see , a humanist side, one of the sides that few people knew, and certainly not the evil savage picture depicted by Al-Jazeer's account of the war, by Fisk and many western reporters who barely mingled with the Free Lebanese politicians.

Who Will Save Lebanon.......2000-11-23

A superb piece of work. Only someone with "inside" information could have written a book with so much details, showing unfortunately dirty (local, regional and international) politics. Politics that killed, probably what was known to be as one of the best places to live in. It is sad and ironic to see world powers leave such a country to disintegrate and die leaving it at the mercy of its meddling and envious neighbours.

Who Will Save Lebanon.......2000-11-23

Amazing!.......2000-04-29

Imagine that a foreigner to Lebanon knows more about it than the Lebanese themselves. It's a great history book, and one would have to read it to really know what was happening in Lebanon.

Passion, love, war, adventure, tragedy, hope, suspence.............2000-02-03

When I started reading this book, I thought it was just another fairy tale written by a reporter who was seeking fame and fortune. I was wrong. the events in this book are acurate, and the story in all is very intense. I congradulate miss Neman for her honesty and courage. I would love to meet and share some stories with her one day since I grew up in the Covenant's home town... No matter what was said about Shiek Basshir, and no matter what he had done, HE WAS TRULY THE ONLY HOPE LEBANON HAD..

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Stokes Purple Martin Book

Purple Martins

Landord-ism 101

Everything I wanted to know about attracting Purple Martins!

An essential book for Purple Martin landlords

The Stokes Purple Martin Book: The Complete Guide to Attracting and Housing Purple Martins (Stokes Backyard Nature Books)
Donald Stokes , Lillian , and Justin L. Brown
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
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Stokes Purple Martin Book.......2007-07-25

This is an excellent book. It's very informative. This is my first year to put up a Martin House. I learned a lot from reading this book.

Purple Martins.......2007-05-29

An excellent book with suggestions on how to attract and keep martins in your backyard.

Landord-ism 101.......2007-02-26

Twenty years ago the air above the narrow street outside our little row house in Costa Rica used to teem with swallows dashing about in the later afternoon coolness. I loved to watch their antics, finding in their effortless twists and turns a vicarious agility.

When we moved house and the swallows were no longer part of our end-of-day joys, I knew that I must someday remedy this situation by having a Purple Martin house that would persuade the similar martins to take us into their company.

It's March, 2007 in Indianapolis and a late snow lies on the ground. The Martins will be here within weeks if prognostications are accurate. From the comfort of my easy chair and a laptop bookmarked to several vendors of Purple Martin houses, I've read through the excellent Stokes Guide.

These people have a rare gift for understanding the bird in question but also for speaking to the level of the interested, reasonably intelligent novice, a reader who knows very little of the topic but is capable of getting up to speed with just a little help.

That assistance comes in the form of inviting prose and beautiful photos, all presented in an affordable format.

I know a whole lot more about Purple Martins than I did just an hour ago and am just about to order that house and telescoping pole. Heck, this frozen ground can't last forever and those newbie Martins will be looking for a place to call home.

We'll leave the light on.

Everything I wanted to know about attracting Purple Martins!.......2002-01-15

My husband and I invested in a Purple Martin House, but didn't have a clue how to entice them to our back yard! I have several of the Stokes bird books and have always found them informative, easy to use, and excellent photography. I found all of this to be true in their Purple Martin Book.The book starts with Purple Martin basics, how to attract, and something I hadn't even thought of, when to expect their arrival. Each section of their breeding range has a different date, the Gulf Coast being approximately Feb. 1st, so I need to get ready in a hurry! Also covered, is their behavior, selecting housing, egg laying to leaving the nest. Dealing with predators and parasites. I don't think there was a "stone uncovered"!If you just enjoy learning about birds, this book is a joy. For me, I am hoping in a few short weeks, I'll be a Purple Martin landlord!

An essential book for Purple Martin landlords.......2000-08-12

Educate yourself before you buy a Purple Martin house. Reading this book is a great beginning. Many houses sold are not suitable and you will end up with a sparrow house. The Stokes have thorough information and nice photographs in their book. I also recommend you join the PMCA (Purple Martin Conservation Association), Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Edinboro, PA, 16444 if you are serious about being a martin landlord.

The Purple Martin Book: A Complete Guide to Attracting & Housing Purple Martins

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The Purple Martin Book: A Complete Guide to Attracting & Housing Purple Martins
Donald Stokes , Lillian Stokes , and J. Brown
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Stokes Purple Martin Book: The Complete Guide to Attracting & Housing Purple Martins

Average customer rating:

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Lillian Q. Stokes , Donald Stokes , and Justin L. Brown
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