Research has shown music in education can increase the level of spatial temporal reasoning in students. Also check out Non-musical Outcomes of Music Education which summarizes information from Dr. James Hanshumaker as presented in the Bulletin of the Council of Research in Music Education. We may never know what might be the impact on a society which does not encourage education that takes advantage of the appropriate windows for right and left brain integration. We can surmise it could produce a public which may act on public policy with little emotion. One could also argue, to be successful, business people need to know something of the arts.
Business is more than pragmatic decisions.
It revolves around relationships. Closing the deal at a nice dinner in a fancy restaurant may take place after a discussion of news, business and the arts. We must acknowledge art as a necessity and not a luxury for children in our schools. We must keep a healthy emphasis on music in our educational process.