문화정책에 낭비를 허(許)하라: 합리적 정책? 효율적 예산? 말이 그렇다는 것이지...

초록

The notion that “rationality and efficiency are core values pursued in public policy” is widely accepted both in academic circles and in society at large: the traditional paradigm does not tolerate irrational waste. Given scarce resources, it seems obvious that rational policy decisions are necessary for efficient resource allocation. However, this proposition does not hold for cultural policy. The world of arts and culture is an extremely complex and uncertain maze. There are no mechanical causal laws at work, nor is it possible to make any predictions. Therefore, rational decision-making and efficient resource allocation are fundamentally unattainable. Administrative mechanisms are never perfect problem-solving tools in the field of arts and culture. Every stage, from setting policy objectives to selecting policy instruments for evaluating policy outcomes, has fundamental limitations. In cultural policy, rationality and efficiency should be regarded as rhetorical goals. They may serve as myths, proverbs, or slogans that sound convincing, but can never be absolute truths or guiding principles. A relentless obsession with rationality and efficiency, which is ultimately impossible to achieve, is more likely to lead to unintended side effects. For the sake of the arts and culture, it may be better to boldly attempt wasteful policies that are considered taboo in traditional paradigms. The geocentric worldview of ancient times once considered the idea that “the Earth revolves around the Sun” to be a blasphemous heresy, but today, it is mere common sense. In the world of cultural policy, rationality and efficiency may be akin to voodoo. Let us consider waste in cultural policy.

키워드