The name "rag" came from the "raggedy" bass lines in the music. In traditional rags the bass line is less "thump-thump" than you'll find in so many guitar rags, it's more "broken" up, often falling on off beats. There are common progressions that give it a specific flavor, the III-VI-ii-V is probably the most recognizable. Trying to boil it all down to simple definitions is difficult, it's like trying to define jazz, classical, blues or rock in a short paragraph. It's a wide genre/style that incorporates many elements.
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