You know what I noticed about TN, WV, KY?

[War on Want]

Meh. I wouldn't associate farmers with being all folksy anyway. Miserable buggers for the most part.

You're descended from them, no?

Not really, though you might have a broader definition of "farmer" than I do.

Did they vote Whig?

No. Back then they couldn't vote (or at least none that I'm aware of). As far as I know most voted Liberal as soon as they could vote, being largely Nonconformists and all that.

That makes perfect sense, most farmers/rural people around here are definatley non-conformists. Now of course some are completley different and are just hippies that vote for Democrats but others were huge Ron Paul supporters, and have been Liberitarian voters to an extent along with huge suspicion of the government.

Non-conformist means something very specific in Wales.

duh but I think in general farmers are more non-conformist than most people, at least in the West.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

In this case Nonconformist refers to religion. Specifically, all non Anglican Protestants (but especially Methodists and the various sects of the Old Dissent; Calvinists, Baptists and so on. Quakers too, obviously. Though the biggest Nonconformist group in Wales were the Calvinistic Methodists).

[Хahar 🤔]

What happened to nonconformism as a political force? It seems to have disappeared.

[Brittain33]

What happened to nonconformism as a political force? It seems to have disappeared.

Do you mean the role of nonconformist Christians in British politics, or something else?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

What happened to nonconformism as a political force? It seems to have disappeared.

The reasons for it existing as a political force were all redundant by the 1920's or so (well... before then, long before the, really. But the illusion that there was any point going down the sectarian road couldn't be sanely argued after then or so. In Wales the final straw was the movement's great victory; the disestablishment of the Anglican church (in Wales). Wales is the only part of Great Britain without a state church). And the sort of people who would once have joined the Liberal Party and then argued for the positions of the Chapels, joined Labour or the ILP instead. As late as the 1970's there were people high up in Welsh Labour who passionately believed in keeping Wales "dry" on Sundays.

And, of course the proverbial elephant-in-the-room, membership in the Nonconformist churches declined precipitously during the middle decades of the 20th century for a whole range of complicated reasons (declined since then as well (Baptists the big, big exception) but not so fast and not so exceptionally). There are still echos of the political aspect in several areas; one is voting patterns in quite a few places. You often have to look very hard for them these days, but they're there. And the other is things like the Keep Sunday Special campaign.

[Brittain33]

There must be something to be said about the fact that four of the last six PMs were non-conformists of some kind, and of the other two (Blair and Major), one has practically become a Catholic if he isn't already. It certainly informed the worldview of Margaret Thatcher and Gordon Brown, and of Old Labour in general.   

I did look this up on Wikipedia; there's no way I would have known Callaghan's or Wilson's religion off-hand. Also, I would guess that Heath-Wilson dividing line is very convenient for my point.

[??????????]

All three are Gods country for sure. Especially the mountains.

[Хahar 🤔]

What happened to nonconformism as a political force? It seems to have disappeared.

The reasons for it existing as a political force were all redundant by the 1920's or so (well... before then, long before the, really. But the illusion that there was any point going down the sectarian road couldn't be sanely argued after then or so. In Wales the final straw was the movement's great victory; the disestablishment of the Anglican church (in Wales). Wales is the only part of Great Britain without a state church). And the sort of people who would once have joined the Liberal Party and then argued for the positions of the Chapels, joined Labour or the ILP instead. As late as the 1970's there were people high up in Welsh Labour who passionately believed in keeping Wales "dry" on Sundays.

And, of course the proverbial elephant-in-the-room, membership in the Nonconformist churches declined precipitously during the middle decades of the 20th century for a whole range of complicated reasons (declined since then as well (Baptists the big, big exception) but not so fast and not so exceptionally). There are still echos of the political aspect in several areas; one is voting patterns in quite a few places. You often have to look very hard for them these days, but they're there. And the other is things like the Keep Sunday Special campaign.

I remember Jan Morris once said something to the effect of "to a Welshman, the idea of a Sunday paper is still a bit sacrilegious."

Is there any socially liberal party in Wales?

[Cubby]

Really? My dad went to school in Utah and he says Mormons are very friendly.

Thats because they were trying to get him to join their cult faith. They are very nice to people but if after awhile you show no interest in their message, they shun you (which includes not letting your kids play with their kids, etc. I learned this from a family friend who lived in Utah for a brief period.)

Is there any socially liberal party in Wales?

Plaid Cymru (Welsh Nationalist Party). They have about 4 or 5 seats in Westminster. Usually rural areas far from the English border.

[Hash]

Is there any socially liberal party in Wales?

Plaid Cymru (Welsh Nationalist Party). They have about 4 or 5 seats in Westminster. Usually rural areas far from the English border.

And strongly Welsh-speaking areas, IIRC.