A Economic dimension in national culture policy: an approach to the solidary economy

an approach to the solidary economy

Abstract

The article seeks to present an analysis of the national culture policy with emphasis on its articulation with the theme of the economy of culture and development. The text seeks to demonstrate that the culture agenda in government policies became central when it started to be recognized as a commodity, that is, in its relationship with the market, as a product to be commercialized. In this condition, the culture policy is legitimized as an important economic and industrial instrument for national development. This economic dimension of culture can be identified from the different concepts and proposals for organizing the sector, such as "creative industries" or "creative economy". Such an economicist conception of culture is an appropriation to transform culture into an instrumental form of wealth generation and in this way values ​​such as diversity, pluralism and identity are relegated to the background, as the emphasis becomes the subordination of culture to the logic of the market. capitalist. As of 2003, culture policy is also based on the challenge of promoting culture in a broader conception, that is, a social and human phenomenon with multiple meanings. Culture is understood in its triple dimension: symbolic, citizen and economic. In this context, the culture policy comes close to the debate on sustainable social development and the solidarity economy. What can be seen in the analysis of public management instruments, in the guidelines of the National Culture Plan (Law No. 12.343 / 2010) and in the national policy Cultura Viva / Pontos de Cultura (Lei Cultura Viva 13.018 / 2014). Both concepts appear in a conflicting and contradictory way to express the economic dimension of culture and its contribution to the development process.