this post was submitted on 11 Mar 2025
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I'm not sure it really fits the bill there. It had a largely-ceremonial hereditary monarchy (which Pippin inherits from his dad about 15 years after the ring was destroyed) which can call assemblies to discuss matters, an elected mayor (which Sam served as several times over after the ring), and law enforcement in the form of the shiriffs. Tolkien does describe it as "hardly any" government, yes, but to me it seems perhaps unsurprisingly more like a miniaturised version of the British system
I mean, medieval communities were often somewhat self-managed due to the simple fact that judicial courts were far away, and the local bailiff had to enact the laws. Every-day law was mostly on a by-case basis, and if they didn't notice or care, there was no law.
They have a healthy system of vegetable competitions and scowls to keep the order.
That’s all most neighbourhoods and small groups need.
Only because they were a client state of Arnor and their militant successors, the Rangers of Dunedain! Who keep all the "riffraff out."
The Shire is a redlined suburb, wake up sheeple.
*Orcs move in*
"There goes the neighborhood"
Did hobbits support the death penalty?
They killed wormtongue so I'm going to go with yes