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A Charm Offensive
Michael Z. Wise
03/01/2004
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Nonetheless, the precise benefit of what is often called
“cultural diplomacy” is not easy to quantify, since any true human exchange
involves a long-term commitment that goes beyond the bottom line. For years
Congress has been loathe to fund such efforts, regarding it as a fuzzy feel-good
practice with little tangible benefit. The State Department spends little more
than $2 million annually to present U.S. culture abroad; by comparison Germany’s
Goethe-Institut spends about $7.5 million a year to showcase German cultural
achievements in the United States alone. The numerous American
cultural initiatives that existed during the cold war years came to a halt once
the communist threat waned. For decades the United States Information Agency
(USIA) flooded much of the world with American orchestras, dance groups, art
exhibits and jazz performances. The recognition that Washington has done a
glaringly poor job of countering the new brand of anti-American sentiment may
inspire some politicians to consider the value of exporting the best of our
culture again. Cultural initiatives abroad could get a big boost from an
endowment—supported by private individuals, corporations and foundations—that
would give a far more nuanced picture of American society than conveyed through
commercial films, theater, books and music. A nonprofit entity comparable to the
Corporation for Public Broadcasting could oversee the endeavor, avoiding the
stigma of propaganda that inevitably clings to officially sponsored arts
programming.
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