Regionalism and anti-Progressive Populism

Here is an interesting, provocative op-ed by Caleb Stegall, of The New Pantagruel (link) on the need for a new (or, actually, an older) kind of "populism."  It touches on some of the same themes as does Rod Dreher's "Crunchy Con's" work and also the "distributivist" strand of Catholic social thinking.  Here is a bit:

What would this kind of regional populism look like in an actual political platform? Broadly speaking, it would seek at every turn to end the dependence of its constituents on elites. It would oppose, for example, the nationalization of any sector of our economy, from health care to agriculture. Instead, it would seek creative ways to open regional markets for regional goods.

It would seek to permit regional cultural and religious particularities to emerge from the fog of federalized regulation and be made manifest in our schools, courthouses, businesses and civic organizations. And it would provide incentives to keep cultural capital local. It would encourage people to work, study and raise families close to where they grew up. It would seek ways to promote local culture and would cultivate loyalty to our neighbors and a fierce love for our own places.

But in the end, what this kind of vibrant regionalism requires is something much more difficult to obtain than a slogan. It is a renewed appreciation for society over and against both the individual and the state. Society defined by what the agrarian essayist Wendell Berry calls "membership" – a network of social interconnectedness and shared obligation. To be a member of this kind of social order is the best hedge against manipulation by the central planning committee for "growth" and "prosperity." It is, to put it plainly, to be free.

As I've said before, I am really torn by these kinds of arguments and calls.  I'm all for rootedness and place.  At the same time, writers and thinkers like Stegall sometimes -- it seems to me -- overlook how important and liberating -- in an authentic, good sense -- it has been for so many people to be able to leave, move, and change.  That is, there is a danger in romanticizing rootedness.  Alan Ehrenhalt captured this danger well, I think, in "The Lost City:  The Forgotten Virtues of Community in America."

Ross Douthat discusses Stegall's piece, and links to other discussions, here.