Key Takeaways
1. Rural America's Outrage Stems from Its Identity as "Moral Communities"
My argument is that understanding rural America requires seeing the places in which its residents live as moral communities.
Beyond economics. The overwhelming Republican vote in rural communities in 2016, often attributed to economic suffering or racial resentment, is more deeply rooted in a cultural divide. Rural residents perceive their communities as "moral communities," places where people feel a profound obligation to one another and to uphold local ways of being that define their ordinary life and sense of belonging. This perspective moves beyond simplistic analyses of individual economic interests or psychological needs.
A way of life. The outrage observed in rural America is a complex blend of fear and anger. The fear is that the cherished small-town way of life is vanishing, while the anger stems from the belief that this way of life is actively under siege. This sentiment cannot be separated from the deep loyalties rural Americans feel toward their communities, which are seen as the very fabric of their existence.
Fracturing foundations. The fracturing of these moral communities is evident in declining populations, closing schools, and disappearing businesses. It's also seen in families raising children who will likely leave, and parents commuting further for work. This erosion diminishes trust and bolsters protective energies, leading to questions of blame rather than just problem-solving.
2. Small Towns Function as "Home," Rooting Identity and Obligation
Just as people identify the house in which they live as home, residents of small rural towns tend to identify the community as home.
Familiarity and belonging. Rural communities are deeply identified as "home" by their residents, characterized by routine interactions, familiarity, and a sense of safety. This goes beyond a physical location; it's a space imbued with shared memories, ambience, and habits, where people feel an inherent obligation to uphold local norms and support one another. This sense of home is often stronger in rural areas due to longer residency and less geographic mobility.
Implicit social contracts. Being a respected community member involves more than just self-sufficiency; it requires active participation and adherence to implicit social norms. These obligations extend from taking care of one's family to contributing to community organizations like churches, volunteer fire companies, or local committees. This creates a dense social fabric where people's lives are intertwined, and mutual support is expected.
"Knowing everyone." The common rural sentiment of "everybody knows everybody else here" is less a literal truth and more an "imagined communion," a statement about being part of a close-knit community. This perceived interconnectedness fosters politeness and a desire to avoid offense, as residents frequently encounter the same people. While economic and social diversity exists, a shared sense of "being in it together" often prevails, though it can also lead to an "us" versus "them" mentality that excludes outsiders.
3. Systemic Dangers Threaten the Rural Way of Life
It is more the almost inexpressible concern that their way of life is eroding, shifting imperceptibly under the feet, and being discredited and attacked from the outside that poses the greatest threat.
Population decline. Many rural communities face stagnant or declining populations, particularly the smallest towns, signaling a loss of jobs, tax revenue, and the departure of friends and family. While some residents are complacent, others express anger and frustration, especially when closures are due to external factors like Walmart or slow government aid after natural disasters.
- Smallest towns (under 1,000) saw 62% decline between 1980-2010.
- Agriculture changes, improved roads, and larger equipment reduced the need for many small towns.
Brain drain and education. Rural areas suffer from lower education levels and a "brain drain," as college-educated youth leave for better opportunities, depriving communities of talent. This leads to feelings of being "looked down on" and stereotypes of rural residents as "hicks."
- Teachers and principals worry about the "frog pond" effect, where bright students underestimate their potential.
- Debates over teaching evolution highlight concerns about academic preparedness and community image.
Social ills. Rural communities grapple with significant social problems, often exacerbated by limited resources and a sense of hopelessness.
- Teen pregnancy rates are significantly higher in rural areas (30.9 per 1,000 vs. 18.9 per 1,000 in urban areas).
- Drug abuse, particularly meth and heroin, is a severe concern, with overdose deaths higher in rural areas than large metropolitan areas by 2014.
- Lack of good jobs, plant closings, and economic insecurity contribute to fear and a blow to community pride.
4. Local Solutions Are Often Overwhelmed by External Challenges
Working with limited effectiveness to address local problems is often as frustrating as knowing that the problems exist in the first place.
Volunteerism and local pride. Rural communities are rich in voluntary associations, and residents highly value those who "pitch in" to solve local problems. This tradition of self-reliance and community spirit is a core part of small-town identity, with leaders often emerging from the "gentry" class.
- Examples: Bethany Pritchard's extensive volunteering, Jake Stansworth's renovation efforts.
- Community groups like Kiwanis, Lions, and Chambers of Commerce initiate local projects.
Struggles for economic development. The quest for jobs is a major challenge, often falling to specialized committees. These efforts are frequently frustrated by remote locations, lack of interstate access, and competition from larger players. The "bottom-up" approach, like Tom French's iterative consensus-building, prioritizes local input but can be slow and distrustful of external expertise.
Helping the needy. While private charity and neighborly assistance are strong traditions, they fall short when demographic changes lead to increased needs, such as an aging population or widespread disability. Funding for social services often relies on competitive grants, which are difficult for small towns to secure due to lack of experience and partisan state/federal politics. This creates a paradox: communities want to be self-sufficient but are increasingly dependent on external resources.
5. Washington Is Perceived as Distant, Intrusive, and Lacking Common Sense
People up there in Washington, doesn’t matter what party it is, those people don’t know a thing about what’s going on down here in Gulfdale.
Geographic and cultural chasm. Rural voters express profound dissatisfaction with Washington, viewing it as geographically and culturally distant. They believe the federal government has little interest in understanding or addressing their problems, instead catering to "big" interests: big cities, big businesses, and big farmers. This sentiment reflects historical rural-urban tensions and contemporary concerns about bailouts for Wall Street and General Motors.
Intrusive mandates and taxes. Washington is seen as actively intervening in small communities in threatening ways, often through unfunded mandates that strain local budgets. Farmers, whose livelihoods are directly impacted by agricultural policies, feel manipulated by trade policies and regulations, leading to calls to "get out of my way."
- Complaints about federal mandates for sewage treatment, hospital standards, and emergency preparedness.
- Farmers feel disrespected, arguing they are as intelligent as anyone else and keep up with agricultural innovations.
Lack of common sense. A core criticism is Washington's perceived lack of "common sense," which rural residents equate with trustworthiness, practicality, and fiscal responsibility. They see bureaucracy as chaotic and inefficient, and politicians as partisan and corrupt, failing to "get anything done." This wastefulness and perceived irresponsibility are seen as an affront to their own values of thrift and hard work.
6. A Sense of National Moral Decline Fuels Rural Discontent
It just seems to her that somehow the moral climate has changed over the past twenty or thirty years, whether you think about individuals or families or the government.
Erosion of values. Many rural residents believe America is experiencing a serious moral decline, evidenced by dishonesty in Washington and Wall Street, sexual promiscuity in media, and the erosion of traditional family values. This decline is seen as a threat to their communities, violating their sense of how a good society should function and causing corrosive effects.
Government's role. There's a strong belief that the government contributes to this moral decay, particularly through policies related to the separation of church and state. The removal of prayer and the Ten Commandments from public schools is a frequent complaint, seen as systematically pushing religion to the "back burner" and undermining the nation's Christian foundations.
- Reverend Davis expresses discouragement, feeling like she has her "finger in the dike" against a declining culture.
- Lyle Eads asserts the country was "founded on Christian principles" and has lost the "fear of God."
Personal responsibility. While acknowledging broader societal issues, many rural residents emphasize the importance of personal and family responsibility in upholding moral standards. They express frustration when they feel external forces, like government regulations on child discipline, undermine parents' ability to teach good morals. This concern about moral decline is not limited to conservatives; even some progressives lament the loss of "higher moral accountability."
7. Hot-Button Social Issues Reflect Deep-Seated Moral Stances
When you have an unwanted pregnancy, none of your options is good, but it’s become a very emotional hot-button issue for some people.
Abortion as a moral issue. Abortion is a top concern, with opposition rising steadily as town size decreases. For many, it's a clear-cut issue rooted in scripture or church teachings, summarized by phrases like "life is sacred" or "life begins at conception." This stance often influences voting behavior, even among those not actively involved in pro-life activism.
- Odds of opposing abortion are three times higher in the smallest towns compared to large cities.
- Some view abortion as a symptom of broader moral decline and a failure of personal responsibility.
Homosexuality and family values. Homosexuality is another vexing moral concern, often opposed due to conservative religious beliefs and the perception that it undermines traditional family values. Support for constitutional bans on gay marriage is significantly higher in smaller rural communities.
- Odds of supporting an anti-gay marriage amendment are twice as high in towns under 1,000 people.
- The issue is seen as a "subversive idea" that makes it harder for parents to teach what is right.
Nuance and external influence. Despite strong opposition, personal contact with gay individuals often leads to more nuanced views and greater acceptance. However, these shifts are often prompted by external influences like church discussions or political debates, which rural communities often resent as intrusions on their local autonomy. The "politics of the issue" are often seen as "out of their hands."
8. Bigotry Remains a Complex and Persistent Undercurrent
The 2016 presidential campaign raised but left unanswered the question of whether anger was festering among people who feel left out and left behind to the point that bigotry against immigrants, Muslims, African Americans, and even women played a role in the election.
Immigration's mixed reception. While many rural residents express a welcoming attitude toward Hispanic immigrants, especially those who contribute to the labor force, a significant portion also favors reducing overall immigration. The meat and poultry processing industry has driven large Hispanic population growth in some rural towns, leading to both successful integration and underlying tensions.
- 66% of rural respondents would welcome a stronger Hispanic presence, but 70% favored reducing immigration.
- Father Donahue notes immigrants are often blamed for crime and drugs, while white Anglos resent government aid to them.
Muslims and fear. Attitudes toward Muslims are largely shaped by a lack of personal contact and post-9/11 fears, with many perceiving them as "fanatical" or "violent." While some express openness, fundamentalist and evangelical groups often frame Muslims as dangerous, connecting these fears to broader concerns about threats to the American way of life.
Subtle racism. Overt racism is rare, but implicit prejudice against African Americans often surfaces under the guise of "riff-raff" — individuals perceived as not pulling their weight or exploiting government programs. While some white residents acknowledge progress in race relations, African American leaders emphasize persistent institutional barriers like lack of public transportation or gerrymandering.
- Stella Wright, a retired teacher, explicitly links her criticism of President Obama to his race, while denying general prejudice.
Misogyny and traditional roles. While direct misogynistic statements are uncommon, traditional gender roles are deeply embedded in rural social fabric. Women often shoulder more domestic, childcare, and caregiving responsibilities, even with full-time jobs, and may sacrifice career aspirations when moving to small towns.
9. Rural Outrage is Tempered by Pragmatism and Resilience
Part of the moral fabric in rural communities is a kind of stubborn resilience.
Beyond simple anger. While rural America's outrage is palpable and often directed at Washington, it's not a monolithic or irrational response. It stems from a deep-seated belief that their moral communities and way of life are under threat, leading to a desire for decisive action, even if symbolic, like "draining the swamp." This anger is often fueled by conservative media that validates their frustrations.
Ambivalence and practicality. Despite calls for government to "get out of their lives," rural residents are not naive. They understand the necessity of government for programs like Social Security, Medicare, farm subsidies, and disaster relief. Their outrage is often an ambivalence: a desire for self-sufficiency coupled with a recognition of dependence on external forces.
- Many acknowledge the benefits of federal grants for hospitals or emergency relief.
- Pragmatism often leads them to local and regional solutions when Washington seems unresponsive.
Stubborn resilience. Underlying the anger is a strong sense of stubborn resilience. Rural people feel an obligation to stay and make things work, defending their values not just by lashing out, but by actively striving to keep their communities vibrant. This involves adapting to changing conditions and meeting new challenges, even when they feel threatened. This pragmatism and resilience offer hope for future engagement and problem-solving.
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