Question
Creative artists should always be given the freedom to express their own ideas (in words, music, or
films) in whichever way they wish. There should be no government restrictions on what they do.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
Answer
Different countries around the world have different attitudes towards art and culture, and in some
places that means artists are given the freedom to create, while in other countries they are
restricted or oppressed. This essay will argue that all countries should extend artistic freedoms to
their populations.
To begin with, if we acknowledge that art serves various important personal, cultural, and social
functions, then it makes sense that countries should encourage their artists to create new works.
Sadly, in some places, governments attempt to stifle artistic ventures because they fear that these
will be critical towards the government or society. For this reason, artistic advancement is
sometimes hindered by politicians with regressive attitudes. A brief look at modern history clearly
shows that countries with open-minded governments and liberal policies create the most significant
artwork. A perfect example of a period of artistic accomplishment is the 1960s in the United States,
when various court cases overturned obscenity laws and banned censorship. The result was an
outpouring of creativity in all artistic fields, whose impact is still felt today in all corners of the globe.
Conversely, it is easy to see what happens when countries have overly strict governments with
strong social controls and oppressive attitudes. In such places, almost no artistic advancement is
made and people such as musicians and painters can only work in traditional modes, without doing
anything new. There are many famous artists who have had to flee from oppressive countries in
order to continue their work. These countries are doomed to produce no unique artistic work and
therefore to yield little cultural influence in the world. Between their propaganda and censorship,
their government ensures that their culture will stagnate or simply rely upon imported art, which
they will never fully understand because of the restrictions that have been imposed on their own
development.
In conclusion, art is an important part of life and being creative is essential to it. When countries
have strong laws about censorship, this stifles artists’ creativity and ensures the nation’s stagnant
and disappointing cultural output.
