Agrarianism
Agrarianism is a movement for the equal division of landed property and for the promotion of agricultural interests. Agrarianism as a political and social philosophy relates to the ownership and use of land for farming, or to the part of a society or economy that is tied to agriculture. It is a social or political movement designed to bring about land reforms or to improve the economic status of the farmer. An agrarian place or country makes its money from farming rather than industry.
“Agrarianism is a social or political movement designed to bring about land reforms or to improve the economic status of the farmer.”
Agrarianism and agrarians will typically advocate on behalf of farmers and those in rural communities. Agrarian ideas are typically justified in terms of how they serve to cultivate moral character and to develop a full and responsible person. Agrarian means relating to the ownership and use of land, especially farmland, or relating to the part of a society or economy that is concerned with agriculture. The people who live on a piece of land will have the best idea of how to use it. The particulars of geography, climate, fertility, and human aims are all so variable and interconnected that good management must be immediately informed by them.
In the early 20th century, agrarian ideas also found expression in the country life movement led by the American botanist Liberty Hyde Bailey and through the books published by the American writer Ralph Borsodi in the 1920s and ’30s. Put more simply, agrarianism argues that the best way for people to live is on farms in a country of mostly farmers and that this arrangement will make the world pretty awesome. While many schools of thought exist within agrarianism, historically a recurring feature of agrarians has been a commitment to egalitarianism, with agrarian political parties normally supporting the rights of small farmers and poor peasants against the wealthy in society. There will be a fairer political representation, citizens will have strong moral character, and both the land and those in need will be cared for by the immediate community.
