Rural Values in Montana

Abstract

Montana communities are difficult to classify as rural or urban. However, we often hear that rural values influence how Montanans vote. In this study, I seek to determine whether it is possible to define rural values of Montanans. I ask questions such as, “Are there specific words or phrases that people associate with the term ‘rural’?” and, “Are rural residents generally more or less confident in state or federal government than urban residents?” In response to these questions, I present two hypotheses: first, I posit that living in rural Montana leads to the development of rural values characterized by a feeling of resentment towards urban communities. Second, I hypothesize that Montanans, regardless of where they live, will express feelings of resentment towards the federal government more than the Montana state government. In this paper, I present the results of my study, derived from traveling to communities across the state of Montana and interviewing nearly fifty Montana residents.