“A cropped culture; a generation without future” CULTURAL INTERVIEW: THE POLICY CUTS IN CULTURAL AID. Chrystian G 13/05/2013
A cropped culture; a generation without future Due to the current crisis that Spain is crossing and due to the policies of austerity and the cuts applied in many different areas of Spanish cultural heritage, Marcos Dosantos , the General Secretary of the Madrid Centro Youth Socialist, has given us an interview about cuts in cultural policy. Where, this young political scientist, now represents for their community, one of the young figures that embodies the perfect example of the constant struggle for the future and the rights of the Spanish population, and increasingly, many people like him, join this fight against what they consider a "policy of suffocation and suppression of the fundamental Spanish rights ".
The JSMC, Marcos Dosantos and I, on the Pedro Salinas library.
It is clear that Spain is going through its best, but even worse, some sectors are being treated like culture. Why do you think that the Government considers the cultural area is likely to be cut? Well, first, the current government, with Mariano Rajoy at the helm, believes that many areas of life of Spanish citizenship, are likely to cut and is not aware that culture should not be so; On the other hand for the PP, has never been a priority to promote culture, since cultural values finally is an element of emancipation and democratic plurality assurance, and they may have a view of culture as entertainment maybe that has nothing superfluous to do with conception since the cultural and social agents for the culture we
have. Then the PP, as current government, put the scissors where it can, and culture obviously is not a priority on their agenda.
And educational level, how do you think that might affect the new Wert law reform culturally, view to future generations? Let us see, I will approach it from two perspectives: firstly, in the sense of cultural promotion. Culture should be an added value in any political project of government and as an element of social cohesion. And second, as an economic revitalization, especially in a country like ours, in which our historical patrominio, our cultural, linguistic plurality, plurality national wealth and definitely the diversity of our society, ensures breeding ground, considerable enough to promote something that is important as the culture. Cut in culture, thus implies that younger generations now, do not have the same access and the same opportunities to access culture, as had previous generations at the time. Why? Because is not the same being young and having to pay seven euros for a movie, to be young and having to pay fourteen euros for a movie, this may seem foolishness, but it is not, we have the example of the France government to multiply their investments in culture, and French cinema, is a cult film, a cinema reference, which supported and protected by the authorities and public administrations have scored trend, and has made citizenship, is take great pains , and is excited by a local and indigenous project, such as the French cinema. Then why in Spain, we do not when it could work perfectly? Because it does not matter. This is one thing: the imposivilitation to access the widespread culture beyond their income. On the other hand, the educational reform has raised the Minister of Education and Culture, Jose Ignacio Wert, aims among many other atrocities, end the Degree of Arts, and this is quite an ideological cut, it has to do with how to end with an educational
model based not solely on the positivist scientific paradigm and / or business students who want to be engineers or business accounting, but to promote values education in citizenship, in multiplication of opportunities beyond accounting profit-loss. Some people want to study art, and this law is going to stop this right.
Spain has always been known internationally for its rich culture, tourist flow, and wide range of social entertainment, since most of our income come from these activities. Do you think that these cutting measures, adversely affect the vision you have abroad in Spain? Without a doubt. Without investment in culture, the “Spanish brand” does not worth. That is, if we base our economic model tourism, a major source of income that has our country in a shallow tourism, cheap and costs, and seasonal, we have nothing to do, that is, we are talking about a country that can afford, and should exploit its historical and cultural heritage, and exploit the great talents that are in our youth, in our theaters, in our film, etc.. The “Spanish brand”, needs a culture of quality, accessible, and be taken seriously. And of course, all this is linked to tourism, that tourism is sustainable, quality, or be a tourism, short-term than at any time runs out and remove at once, thousands of jobs and millions of euros in revenue into our state.
Some of the representatives of the opposition government believe that these measures, rub even Francoism ideology, wanting to reduce to a minimum cultural revenues, leaving the country in a state of decline and introverted culture. Do you think, then, that these measures go beyond what was initially raised in the electoral program of the current government? Yes. By parts: the government's proposals and its election, have obviously been violated and are mediated improvising and pulling out of the hat, they have no logic. Ideologized??
Of course. Ideologized to concern extremes? Sure. Phrases like as of the Wert minister like that "we have to spanished Catalan students" are good examples of the ideological paradigm of what the PP understand how culture. For they understand as a culture, "the spanishetion"; enough already, please, about Spanish cultural model based on "omelet, bulls and flamenco", with that, in the XXI century are not going anywhere. The Spanish cultural model needs to invest in art, dance, folklore, cinema, theater, literature, in short on artistic creation. And this goes against any kind of right-wing ideological proposal and Spanish ideology, which has to mouth the PP today.
We agree then, Mr. Dosantos, that investing in culture is a safe bet both entertainment and learning level, so, how do they affect the VAT rise in this sector? The increase in VAT to culture is a method of asphyxiation, drowning and destruction to something that is as important as is the culture per se. Raise VAT to 21% to a sector so delicate and vulnerable as it is culture, is an "attack" straight, direct, to heritage, the individual and collective freedoms, and what everyone, which is our art is our education. Since the education without culture, and culture without education cannot be understood. Culture should be an element of training, learning, as you said before. We speak of something that should be treated as part of a long-term education, continuing education. That is, education should not be understood as being in a cage and finish a master's degree. It should be understood that our elders and young, can afford to pay a reasonable price, the entry to go to the opera, the theater, or go see a movie at the cinema, because that, beyond cohesion act as fact dynamic social and economic system, is much more, is permanent cultural education.
So applying these sudden cuts in the area of culture, it is clear that we have a number of contradictions in the government's main objective, which was to create jobs, that because of these policy adjustments, we find that more than hundred thousand workers, they will stay on the street. So, do you think the government is mismanaging its cultural policy? Where do you think you want to reach? Definitely yes, is mismanaging cultural policy the current government. Where are they getting at? It has no established roadmap, and so, all these improvisations are having dire consequences for citizenship, so do not know what they are doing. Undoubtedly, culture is not something that concerns them and is not a priority on their agenda, and therefore, the scissors comes indiscriminately and however they want, in two ways: one by the increase in VAT and two, by cuts in subsidies on cultural budgets. There is no point choking and drowning in this way to an industry that is also a right as is culture.
So what do you think that moves the current government to implement these cuts as sudden extreme way? On the other hand, do not know if the PP government, has a personal and bitter struggle against the culture, but it is clear that for them, is not important, as it is not equal, as it is not quality public health, as it is education, as it is everything that has to do in general, with the guarantee of the rights of citizenship, and ensuring social cohesion. The PP is absorbed in the “austericidio�, and pay off some bills and an external audit International Monetary Fund, European Institutions and Germany, and anything goes for the government just to settle the score required of him from above. And not all worth, obviously. Destroying culture is "bread for today and hunger for tomorrow".
Well, as to conclude, what do you think it would be "ideally" sustainable, what kind of proposals would be appropriate to generate a balance between cuts and investment in culture, which practically is zero? Being fully aware that we are in a situation of economic crisis and not easy to ask to make greater investments that may, and I repeat, being fully aware of it, yes there are small steps that can help culture. Tax deductions. Tax deductions, not only from the main government, but also from the regions. For example, in the community of Madrid, Ignacio Gonzalez government and Esperanza Aguirre, had no problem doing large tax deductions to the creation of charter schools; Where are we going with this model? Nowhere. And why not do it and apply it to something that is a safe investment and a commitment to social cohesion and economic development and culture? Why not tax deductions Spanish movies? Because tax deductions for small plays in small towns? Because of course, the offer and the right to cultural access, it has nothing to do in the big cities, with respect to the suburbs, the countryside and small towns. And cultural promotion and local development must be linked. With what I do, you can take small steps, first, not suffocation in VAT of 21%, but to apply a VAT reduced VAT of 8%, for example, and second, because you cannot give big subsidies go this route of tax deductions, and perhaps campaigns do cultural promotion. Everything that is to promote greater access to culture, it is always good. Because everything that is not obstructing, is a help. Because the people who are working right now for the cultural movement, for creativity, creation, are very prepared, and know face adversity. But one thing is to face an economic crisis, and another thing, is to face the yoke of a government by the economic crisis.