Comments on: Was J.R.R. Tolkien a Libertarian? http://libertarianchristians.com/2009/01/26/tolkien-libertarian/ The State is not the Kingdom of God. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:37:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: A Timely Lord of the Rings Analogy | theConstitutional.org http://libertarianchristians.com/2009/01/26/tolkien-libertarian/comment-page-1/#comment-2426 A Timely Lord of the Rings Analogy | theConstitutional.org Sat, 19 Jun 2010 01:38:15 +0000 http://libertarianchristians.com/?p=264#comment-2426 [...] was not a libertarian. But he was extremely suspicious of government, an attitude reflected in The Lord Of the Rings and even more in some of his other works. There is [...] [...] was not a libertarian. But he was extremely suspicious of government, an attitude reflected in The Lord Of the Rings and even more in some of his other works. There is [...]

]]> By: Freedom starts at home « Learning from Dogs http://libertarianchristians.com/2009/01/26/tolkien-libertarian/comment-page-1/#comment-2210 Freedom starts at home « Learning from Dogs Mon, 03 May 2010 07:02:40 +0000 http://libertarianchristians.com/?p=264#comment-2210 [...] as a description of the political and economic philosophy taken seriously by such great minds as J.R.R. Tolkien, Henry David Thoreau, Thomas Jefferson and William Lloyd Garrison. In fact, de Cleyre’s political [...] [...] as a description of the political and economic philosophy taken seriously by such great minds as J.R.R. Tolkien, Henry David Thoreau, Thomas Jefferson and William Lloyd Garrison. In fact, de Cleyre’s political [...]

]]> By: Samuel123 http://libertarianchristians.com/2009/01/26/tolkien-libertarian/comment-page-1/#comment-1811 Samuel123 Sun, 03 Jan 2010 15:53:18 +0000 http://libertarianchristians.com/?p=264#comment-1811 If Tolkien doesn't believe in 'bosses,' he can't be a libertarian. If Tolkien doesn’t believe in ‘bosses,’ he can’t be a libertarian.

]]> By: Samuel123 http://libertarianchristians.com/2009/01/26/tolkien-libertarian/comment-page-1/#comment-2919 Samuel123 Sun, 03 Jan 2010 15:53:00 +0000 http://libertarianchristians.com/?p=264#comment-2919 If Tolkien doesn't believe in 'bosses,' he can't be a libertarian. If Tolkien doesn’t believe in ‘bosses,’ he can’t be a libertarian.

]]> By: Elijah http://libertarianchristians.com/2009/01/26/tolkien-libertarian/comment-page-1/#comment-1145 Elijah Wed, 12 Aug 2009 20:21:23 +0000 http://libertarianchristians.com/?p=264#comment-1145 How much of an Anarchist was he? Well, All he wanted to say on the subject was written in the tri-ology. An epic journey towards true Anarchy. Frodo's mission was to melt the damn ring in the volcano, but along the way he used it to save himself, though every time he used it he got sicker, darker and was viewable to the evil one. ring=power over man=government. All the characters symbolize different types of people who would want to use the ring (government). How much of an Anarchist was he? Well, All he wanted to say on the subject was written in the tri-ology. An epic journey towards true Anarchy. Frodo’s mission was to melt the damn ring in the volcano, but along the way he used it to save himself, though every time he used it he got sicker, darker and was viewable to the evil one. ring=power over man=government. All the characters symbolize different types of people who would want to use the ring (government).

]]> By: Elijah http://libertarianchristians.com/2009/01/26/tolkien-libertarian/comment-page-1/#comment-2918 Elijah Wed, 12 Aug 2009 20:21:00 +0000 http://libertarianchristians.com/?p=264#comment-2918 How much of an Anarchist was he? Well, All he wanted to say on the subject was written in the tri-ology. An epic journey towards true Anarchy. Frodo's mission was to melt the damn ring in the volcano, but along the way he used it to save himself, though every time he used it he got sicker, darker and was viewable to the evil one. ring=power over man=government. All the characters symbolize different types of people who would want to use the ring (government). How much of an Anarchist was he? Well, All he wanted to say on the subject was written in the tri-ology. An epic journey towards true Anarchy. Frodo’s mission was to melt the damn ring in the volcano, but along the way he used it to save himself, though every time he used it he got sicker, darker and was viewable to the evil one. ring=power over man=government. All the characters symbolize different types of people who would want to use the ring (government).

]]> By: Jake Was Here http://libertarianchristians.com/2009/01/26/tolkien-libertarian/comment-page-1/#comment-1009 Jake Was Here Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:12:07 +0000 http://libertarianchristians.com/?p=264#comment-1009 <i>Tolstoy has been wrongly (in my view) labeled a “Anarcho-Socialist” since he advocates the generous sharing of one’s resources to help ameliorate poverty. What separates him from genuine Socialists, however, is that he does not support the use of force to achieve this redistribution of wealth, he believes it ought to be voluntary, and that Christians, following the commands of Christ, would do so voluntarily.</i> Both he and Tolkien, then, could be considered Chestertonian distributists -- they believed in individual rights and in the maximum distribution of private property through a free market. Tolstoy has been wrongly (in my view) labeled a “Anarcho-Socialist” since he advocates the generous sharing of one’s resources to help ameliorate poverty. What separates him from genuine Socialists, however, is that he does not support the use of force to achieve this redistribution of wealth, he believes it ought to be voluntary, and that Christians, following the commands of Christ, would do so voluntarily.

Both he and Tolkien, then, could be considered Chestertonian distributists — they believed in individual rights and in the maximum distribution of private property through a free market.

]]> By: Jake Was Here http://libertarianchristians.com/2009/01/26/tolkien-libertarian/comment-page-1/#comment-2917 Jake Was Here Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:12:00 +0000 http://libertarianchristians.com/?p=264#comment-2917 <i>Tolstoy has been wrongly (in my view) labeled a “Anarcho-Socialist” since he advocates the generous sharing of one’s resources to help ameliorate poverty. What separates him from genuine Socialists, however, is that he does not support the use of force to achieve this redistribution of wealth, he believes it ought to be voluntary, and that Christians, following the commands of Christ, would do so voluntarily.</i> Both he and Tolkien, then, could be considered Chestertonian distributists -- they believed in individual rights and in the maximum distribution of private property through a free market. Tolstoy has been wrongly (in my view) labeled a “Anarcho-Socialist” since he advocates the generous sharing of one’s resources to help ameliorate poverty. What separates him from genuine Socialists, however, is that he does not support the use of force to achieve this redistribution of wealth, he believes it ought to be voluntary, and that Christians, following the commands of Christ, would do so voluntarily.

Both he and Tolkien, then, could be considered Chestertonian distributists — they believed in individual rights and in the maximum distribution of private property through a free market.

]]> By: Lucas http://libertarianchristians.com/2009/01/26/tolkien-libertarian/comment-page-1/#comment-761 Lucas Sat, 16 May 2009 18:47:42 +0000 http://libertarianchristians.com/?p=264#comment-761 I think he in lived in the spirit of libertarianism. I've not read any letters, but I've read LoTR a dozen times at least and the Silmarillion twice. But to see why Tolkien believes essentially in private, voluntary societal structures one only has to look at the Shire before Saruman corrupted it. It had no 'government', Tolkien says, noting that the various families of the various burroughs basically govern themselves. If a person gets out of line, his mother or uncles will deal with them- note Frodo describes the scouring of the Shire as "the family" putting Lotho back in his place (which is to say, out of political power). Obviously there is no regulatory structure or war machine, although the unusually peaceful nature of hobbits has something to do with this. Of course, Tolkien also believed in Platonic corruption over time, so no more utopian hobbit villages for us moderns. I think he in lived in the spirit of libertarianism.

I’ve not read any letters, but I’ve read LoTR a dozen times at least and the Silmarillion twice. But to see why Tolkien believes essentially in private, voluntary societal structures one only has to look at the Shire before Saruman corrupted it.

It had no ‘government’, Tolkien says, noting that the various families of the various burroughs basically govern themselves. If a person gets out of line, his mother or uncles will deal with them- note Frodo describes the scouring of the Shire as “the family” putting Lotho back in his place (which is to say, out of political power). Obviously there is no regulatory structure or war machine, although the unusually peaceful nature of hobbits has something to do with this.

Of course, Tolkien also believed in Platonic corruption over time, so no more utopian hobbit villages for us moderns.

]]> By: Lucas http://libertarianchristians.com/2009/01/26/tolkien-libertarian/comment-page-1/#comment-2916 Lucas Sat, 16 May 2009 18:47:00 +0000 http://libertarianchristians.com/?p=264#comment-2916 I think he in lived in the spirit of libertarianism. I've not read any letters, but I've read LoTR a dozen times at least and the Silmarillion twice. But to see why Tolkien believes essentially in private, voluntary societal structures one only has to look at the Shire before Saruman corrupted it. It had no 'government', Tolkien says, noting that the various families of the various burroughs basically govern themselves. If a person gets out of line, his mother or uncles will deal with them- note Frodo describes the scouring of the Shire as "the family" putting Lotho back in his place (which is to say, out of political power). Obviously there is no regulatory structure or war machine, although the unusually peaceful nature of hobbits has something to do with this. Of course, Tolkien also believed in Platonic corruption over time, so no more utopian hobbit villages for us moderns. I think he in lived in the spirit of libertarianism.

I’ve not read any letters, but I’ve read LoTR a dozen times at least and the Silmarillion twice. But to see why Tolkien believes essentially in private, voluntary societal structures one only has to look at the Shire before Saruman corrupted it.

It had no ‘government’, Tolkien says, noting that the various families of the various burroughs basically govern themselves. If a person gets out of line, his mother or uncles will deal with them- note Frodo describes the scouring of the Shire as “the family” putting Lotho back in his place (which is to say, out of political power). Obviously there is no regulatory structure or war machine, although the unusually peaceful nature of hobbits has something to do with this.

Of course, Tolkien also believed in Platonic corruption over time, so no more utopian hobbit villages for us moderns.

]]>