It was recently the privilege of myself and several other scholars to dine with renown Kentucky author Wendell Berry at Butler State Park. Over dinner, Mr. Berry engaged us in a lively discussion of various topics, including his philosophy of agrarianism. Agrarianism can trace its origins to the earliest human communities, but gained concrete definition at the dawn of the industrial revolution as the antithesis to its opponent philosophy, industrialism. Agrarians posit that human quality of life depends on the quality of human relationships, both with each other and the environment. Agrarians acknowledge that all living things in an ecosystem - and all people in a community - are interdependent, and credit the richness and vitality of the relationships that create this interdependence with the maintenance of human health and happiness. Conversely, agrarians believe that people suffer when they break communal and natural bonds, as this results in a sense of isolation that compels individuals to view society and the natural world as resources to be exploited for personal gain, irrespective of negative consequences to the exploited systems. This exploitation, they argue, is the consequence of industrialization, the aim of which is to concentrate the greatest amount of wealth in hands of the smallest number of individuals as efficiently as possible, regardless of human well being.
An interesting - and, for me, hitherto overlooked - facet of agrarianism that Mr. Berry brought to our attention at dinner was its potential as an agent of political unity. The greatest gulf in current American politics results from the inability of liberals and conservatives to reconcile their political views, causing stalemate and governmental deadlock. Agrarianism, with its emphasis on strong community, appeals to both factions: to the conservatives because of their devotion to the idyllic Rockwellian vision of small-town America; and to the liberals because of their collective preference for communal social systems. Conservatives will also appreciate the agrarian call for weakened federal and state governments; and liberals, its tremendous respect for the environment.
The only real opposition to agrarianism stems from the more lavish tendencies of American society; participants in agrarianism shop and work locally, and maintain close ties to the members of their communities. In a world of international trade, suburban sprawl, and unacquainted neighbors, the perceived sacrifices agrarian conversion entails seem dauntingly great.
However, if people find within themselves the drive to consciously change their habits decision by decision, then the agrarian movement will grow up from the grass roots. If it should flourish, then the gaping cleft in American politics rent by libero-conservative strife might mend, and a new political landscape emerge.
An interesting - and, for me, hitherto overlooked - facet of agrarianism that Mr. Berry brought to our attention at dinner was its potential as an agent of political unity. The greatest gulf in current American politics results from the inability of liberals and conservatives to reconcile their political views, causing stalemate and governmental deadlock. Agrarianism, with its emphasis on strong community, appeals to both factions: to the conservatives because of their devotion to the idyllic Rockwellian vision of small-town America; and to the liberals because of their collective preference for communal social systems. Conservatives will also appreciate the agrarian call for weakened federal and state governments; and liberals, its tremendous respect for the environment.
The only real opposition to agrarianism stems from the more lavish tendencies of American society; participants in agrarianism shop and work locally, and maintain close ties to the members of their communities. In a world of international trade, suburban sprawl, and unacquainted neighbors, the perceived sacrifices agrarian conversion entails seem dauntingly great.
However, if people find within themselves the drive to consciously change their habits decision by decision, then the agrarian movement will grow up from the grass roots. If it should flourish, then the gaping cleft in American politics rent by libero-conservative strife might mend, and a new political landscape emerge.