Who Owns America? | Herbert Agar & Allen Tate (Eds.)

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Dunce Books is proud to present the new edition of a now-rare work that emerged from a pivotal moment in American history. This Depression-era text, written by a group of visionary Americans, offers a profound exploration of an alternative path—a "third way" that seeks to preserve the dignity and freedom of individuals and families in the face of both oppressive government control and the dehumanizing effects of unchecked industrialization.

Rooted in the traditions of American Agrarianism and British Distributism, this work articulates a vision for a society that balances the need for economic security with the preservation of personal autonomy. Often referred to as a "Program for Patriots," the book echoes the sentiments of writers like Ralph Borsodi, advocating for a way of life where people can achieve self-sufficiency, stable family lives, and the opportunity to engage in meaningful, creative work.

In the words of one contributor, Mr. Agar, "The large majority should be able to count on the freedom of men who do not have to be anybody's dependent, or anybody's toady; they should be able to count on the reasonable permanence, both of residence and occupation, which makes a stable family life possible; they should be able to count on having the chance to do creative work, and enjoy responsibility; they should be able to count on a living in an atmosphere of equality, in a world which puts relatively few barriers between man and man."

This edition offers a renewed opportunity to engage with ideas that challenge the status quo and inspire a vision of a more equitable and humane society. Whether you are a student of the Decentralists, Distributists, and Agrarians, or simply interested in alternative approaches to modern challenges, this book provides valuable insights into a path forward that honors both individual freedom and communal responsibility.

Table of Contents:

Introduction – Herbert Agar, viii

PART ONE
1. The Fallacy of Mass Production – David Cushman Coyle, 3
2. Big Business in the Property State – Lyle H. Lanier, 18
3. Agriculture and the Property State – John C. Rawe, 36
4. The Foundations of Democracy – Frank Lawrence Owsley, 52
5. Corporate and Private Persons – Richard B. Ransom, 68
6. Notes on Liberty and Property – Allen Tate, 80
7.‘But Can It Be Done?’ – Herbert Agar, 94

PART TWO
8. That This Nation May Endure — The Need for Political Regionalism – Donald Davidson, 113
9. America and Foreign Trade – James Muir Waller, 135
10. Looking Down the Cotton Row – George Marion O’Donnell, 161
11. What Does the South Want? – John Crowe Ransom, 178
12. Whither Europe? – Douglas Jerrold, 194

PART THREE
13. Small-Town Middle-Westerner – Willis Fisher, 217
14. The Small Farm Secures the State – Andrew Lytle, 237
15. Of the Mean and Sure Estate – John Donald Wade, 251
16. Literature as a Symptom – Robert Penn Warren, 264

PART FOUR
17. The Illusion of the Leisure State – T. J. Cauley, 283
18. Liberty Under the Old Deal – Henry Clay Evans, Jr., 295
19. The Emancipated Woman – Mary Shattuck Fisher, 311
20. A Plea to the Protestant Churches – Cleanth Brooks, 323
21. The Modern Man – Hilaire Belloc, 334