Tolkien's political views

[William Cloud Hicklin]

Part of Tolkien's thinking, I suspect, with regards to "democracy" ran along these lines: it is a system which almost guarantees that our rulers will be politicians- the last people on earth one would want in charge of anything. The system is designed to select for the worst character traits: duplicity, hypocrisy, pandering, demagoguery and narcissism. Again, "the most improper job of any man, even saints (who at any rate were at least unwilling to take it on), is bossing other men. Not one in a million is fit for it, and least of all those who seek the opportunity... The mediaevals were only too right in taking nolo episcopari as the best reason a man could give to others for making him a bishop."


The only actual politician depicted in his writings is the worthless Master of Laketown; but the character who speaks most recognizably like a modern politician is.... Saruman.