Should the State Subsidize Culture? Mozi versus Xunzi on the Musical Arts

Ancient Chinese political thinkers argued vigorously over whether the state should fund the musical arts rather than focusing on the material welfare of the people. These debates are still highly relevant today. Today's talk, drawing on the forthcoming book Why Ancient Chinese Political Thought Matters: Four Dialogues on China’s Past, Present, and Future (Princeton University Press, 2026), will vividly bring these debates to life in the form of a dialogue performed in part by professional actors from Toronto. The conclusion, we promise, will be surprising!

 

 

Daniel A. Bell  (貝淡寧) is Professor, Chair of Political Theory with the Faculty of Law at the University of Hong Kong. He served as Dean of the School of Political Science and Public Administration at Shandong University (Qingdao) from 2017 to 2022.   His books include The Dean of Shandong (2023),  Just Hierarchy (co-authored with Wang Pei, 2020), The China Model (2015), The Spirit of Cities (co-authored with Avner de-Shalit, 2012), China’s New Confucianism (2008), Beyond Liberal Democracy (2007), and East Meets West (2000), all published by Princeton University Press.   He is also the author of Communitarianism and Its Critics (Oxford University Press, 1993).  He is founding editor of the Princeton-China series (Princeton University Press) which translates and publishes original and influential academic works from China. His works have been translated in 23 languages. He has been interviewed in English, Chinese, and French. In 2018, he was awarded the Huilin Prize and was honored as a “Cultural Leader” by the World Economic Forum.