_The Creative Wealth of Nations_ battling groups along the lines of artificially sustained "separations." ”<sup>54</sup> This is also common with other branches of the performing arts. Here is Putnam on the arts and social capital:

[A] growing body of research suggests that the arts can be a valuable engine of civic renewal. Indeed, more and more arts institutions are directing substantial resources to that cause. The arts can nurture social capital by strengthening friendships, helping communities to understand and celebrate their heritage, and providing a safe way to discuss and solve difficult social problems.<sup>55</sup> Indeed, to “withstand or forestall shocks—from conflict, violence, vulnerabilities to the impacts of climate change and natural disasters, or economic crisis—countries need strengthened resilience, inclusion, and social cohesion.”<sup>56</sup> This may be, inter alia, enabled by the strategic application of the arts, not to force, but to naturally encourage social capital.

But it must be noted that ‘social capital’ can also be abused (like any other form of influence or power). And it has come under scrutiny. Basu echoes a longstanding critic: “It is not difficult to see that cooperation promoted by a group, such as a nation, racially homogeneous community, or collectivity of coreligionists, against others can be more ruthless than oppression promoted by individuals.”<sup>57</sup> While it is true such positions may fall under “divisive groupings,” the arts have the ability to build positive relations, as we just saw.

“New research in economics shows that one important trait that helps a nation or a community prosper economically is trust,” as Basu writes.<sup>58</sup> And it is worth repeating that societies that rank highly on self-expression “also tend to rank high on interpersonal trust.”<sup>59</sup>

# **<u>|| 3 || Education and Innovation</u>**

Education is generally considered a trajectory to social and economic advancement. In fact, in “Adam Smith and Human Capital,” Theodore W. Schultz reminds us: “The increases in the quality of both physical and human capital originate primarily out of the advances in knowledge.”<sup>60</sup> * But what Smith noted centuries ago persists even today, despite the progress made in promoting education: From remote villages and slums in the developing world to inner cities in America, it is likely that many children from low income families, have little time to spare for education. Their parents can scarce afford to maintain them, even in infancy. As soon as they are able to work, they must apply to some trade, by which they can earn their subsistence. That trade, too, is generally so simple and uniform, as to give little exercise to the

> 54 Amartya Sen, Preface to the “Workshop on the Development of the Music Industry in Africa,” June 2021, 2001, The World Bank, Development Economics Research Group on International Trade, accessed May 9, 2014, <u>http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTCEERD/Resources/CWI_music_industry_in_Africa_synopsis.pdf.</u> 55 Robert D. Putnam “The Arts and Social Capital,” Better Together, accessed May 10, 2014, <u>http://www.bettertogether.org/pdfs/Arts.pdf.</u>

> 56 The World Bank Group. 2014. _The World Bank Group Strategy_ .

> 57 Kaushik Basu, _Beyond the Invisible Hand_ (Princeton; Woodstock (Oxford, UK): Princeton University Press, 2011), 98.

> 58 Ibid., 113.

> 59 Ronald Inglehart and Chris Welzel, “The WVS Cultural Map of the World.”

> 60 Theodore W. Schultz, “Adam Smith and Human Capital” in _Adam Smith's Legacy: His Place in the Development of Modern Economics,_ ed. Michael Fry (London and New York: Routledge, 1992), 133.

> * While education and knowledge are not necessarily the same thing, we use this term in this case to mean education.

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