Synthesized answer
The book's structure suggests that the Country-Life Movement aims to "make rural civilization as effective and satisfying as other civilization" [2]. It seeks to "even up society as between country and city," recognizing that "country life has not reached as high development within its sphere as city life has reached within its sphere" [2]. The fundamental problem it addresses is the need to "effectualize rural society, for the people who now comprise this society" [1].
This initial distinction, by explicitly stating that the movement is *not* a back-to-the-land movement, shapes the understanding of its purpose by clarifying that its focus is on improving the lives of those already living in rural areas, rather than encouraging city dwellers to move to the country [1, 2]. The passages indicate that the movement is about addressing the development and satisfaction of existing rural civilization, distinct from the impulse of people to escape cities or sell land [1, 2]. However, the passages do not explicitly detail the full set of challenges it is trying to solve beyond this core aim of rural societal improvement.
Synthesized from the book passages below. Chat with the book on Feynman for follow-up.
From the book
ement._ The country-life movement must be sharply distinguished from the present popular back-to-the-land agitation. The latter is primarily a city or town impulse, expressing the desire of townspeople to escape, or of cities to find relief, or of real estate dealers to sell land; and in part it is the result of the doubtful propaganda to decrease the cost of living by sending more persons to the land, on the mostly mistaken assumption that more products will thereby be secured for the world's markets. The back-to-the-land agitation is not necessarily to be discouraged, yet we are…
s, 208--Improvement societies, 209--Entertainment, 211 (Music spirit, 212; drama, 213)--The business of farming, 217. THE COUNTRY-LIFE MOVEMENT The country-life movement is the working out of the desire to make rural civilization as effective and satisfying as other civilization. It is not an organized movement proceeding from one center or even expressing one set of ideas. It is a world-motive to even up society as between country and city; for it is generally understood that country life has not reached as high development within its sphere as city life has reached within its…
e Commission, 9--A national conference of country life, 12--A voluntary movement, 12--The international phase, 13. SOME INTERRELATIONS OF CITY AND COUNTRY PAGES 14-30 Some contrasts of town folk and country folk, 14--Comparisons of town and country affairs, 16--The two minds, 17--Will the American farmer hold his own? 19--The first two remedies, 21--Movement from city to country as remedy, 23--Sending the surplus population to the country, 25--Back-to-the-village, 26--Can a city man make a living on a farm? 27--What the city may do, 30. THE DECLINE IN RURAL…
OUTCOME OF OUR INDUSTRIAL CIVILIZATION? PAGES 55-60 (1) The making of a new society, 56--(2) The fighting edge, 57. THE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION IN AMERICAN COUNTRY LIFE PAGES 61-84 Agriculture in the public schools, 62--The American contribution, 65--The dangers in the situation, 66--The present educational institutions, 68--The need of plans to coördinate this educational work, 71--Outline of a state plan, 72--A state extension program, 75--Special local schools for agriculture, 76--The lessons of experience, 79. WOMAN'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE COUNTRY-LIFE…
THE COUNTRY-LIFE MOVEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES The Rural Outlook Set _THE OUTLOOK TO NATURE_ (_Revised_) _THE NATURE-STUDY IDEA_ _THE STATE AND THE FARMER_ _THE COUNTRY-LIFE MOVEMENT_ The Country-Life Movement in the United States BY L. H. BAILEY New York THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 1911 _All rights reserved_ COPYRIGHT, 1911, BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY. Set up and electrotyped. Published March, 1911. Norwood Press J. S. Cushing Co.--Berwick & Smith Co. Norwood, Mass., U.S.A. TO Charles W. Garfield …
More questions about this book
- How do the "three fundamental recommendations of the Commission" on Country Life connect with the broader educational initiatives, such as "agriculture in the public schools" and "a state extension program," to address both the "decline in rural population" and the "interrelations of city and country"?
- Consider the chapter titles "What is to be the Outcome of Our Industrial Civilization?" and "How Shall We Secure Community Life in the Open Country?" How does Bailey propose that the Country-Life Movement, encompassing diverse efforts like reclamation and women's contributions, can actively shape a "new society" rather than merely react to existing rural challenges?
- If you were explaining to a peer what Bailey means by "The Fundamental Question in American Country Life," how would you articulate this question and then use insights from chapters like "The Two Minds" (city and country) and "The New Farming" to elaborate on its complexity and importance?
- Bailey dedicates the book to a "Prophet of the Better Country Life." Based on the specific themes in the table of contents—from "The Woman's Outlook" to "Hamlet life" and "local politics"—describe what the "better country life" envisioned by the movement looks like, emphasizing its social and communal aspects beyond mere agricultural efficiency.