Neoliberal Culture Policy and Public Goods in Culture

Abstract

The subject of this paper is the analysis of the position of culture as a public good in transition and post-transition social and economic context conditioned by neoliberal paradigm strengthening. Models and concepts of the culture policy which depict the relationship towards public good in culture will be presented as well. Individual culture policy models present opposite attitudes towards the principle that states that the culture is a public good. Special attention was addressed to the analysis of the transition from socialist culture policy to Neoliberal culture policy, i.e., analysis of the state’s changed relationship towards public goods in culture. In socialist Yugoslavia, the principle of culture as a public good was introduced by the socialist culture policy. The nordic model of cultural policy is based on the idea of cultural democracy which includes equal access to culture for all citizens. The neoliberal model of culture policy denies the principle of culture as public good due to its primary market orientation. It rests on the Neoliberal economic paradigm and commercialization of cultural goods. In the majority of transition and post-transition countries, the culture sector cannot exist based on market business. Culture cannot exist without government support but it does not mean that culture funding should rely only on budget. One of the primary tasks for state culture policy in post-transition societies is the protection and promotion of the public function of culture. State culture policy via legal, financial, value and organizational instruments must guarantee access to cultural goods to the greatest number of citizens possible.