I've been reading Max Weber's 'The City,' and in its sections concerning the relationship of the city to rural life, he makes a few mentions of 'agrarian mysticism,' and even implicates it in the rise of fascist movements prior to World War 2. I'm studying ethnic conflict and genocide in school but I've never come across this particular term before. Is it still in use? What does it mean, historically?
Weber wasn't talking about fascist movements in World War II, as someone else mentioned. However, in the late 19th and early 20th century there definitely were, "Agrarian mystic." What Weber's referring to is the Blut und Boden (Blood and soil) type movements that were a part of Europe during this time. I'll mainly speak on the ones in Germany as I'm personally most familiar with them.
These movements ultimately thought that rural life had a certain romantic nature, a certain authenticity, simplicity, and pride that urban life didn't. It tied into nationalist and ethnocentric movements quite neatly because it emphasized the ties that a people has to its homeland, generations working the land, making it fruitful, establishing roots.
"Agrarian mysticism" viewed a nation's land as being spiritually intertwined with its people, the rural peasantry effectively are attuned to the heart of their nation. Those living in the city, by contrast, are somewhat artificial and rootless, trapped like rats in an asphalt cage that juts out of the land like a smoggy tumor, polluting the land and polluting the racial spirit.
The image of strong peasant men and women toiling in the field, their muscles hardened by the labor, bearing multiple children, etc. was a very powerful image to many fascists, especially those within Germany. It was also very much connected to the NSDAP's belief that Nature is the highest good, and that humans should consider themselves a part of Nature, bound by Nature's laws.
One of the most famous organizations that would fit under this banner would be the Artaman League. They emphasized many ruralist and naturalist aspects. They were vegans, nudists, and they advocated for land reform as well as a widespread return to a more natural lifestyle. Originally many of these kinds of organizations were relatively politically neutral, but fascism became dominant in many of them in the 1920s onward.
I've been reading Max Weber's 'The City,' and in its sections concerning the relationship of the city to rural life, he makes a few mentions of 'agrarian mysticism,' and even implicates it in the rise of fascist movements prior to World War 2.
Max Weber died in 1920. What makes you think he ties this concept to the fascist movements and World War II?