Tolkien's political views

[Boromir88]

Originally Posted by Kuruharan

To my mind it doesn't quite answer the definition because there are laws (great faithfulness, in fact, to statutes handed down in a time long sense past), there is some degree of law-enforcement at least in form, and there is a political sense of the Shire in that in the minds of the inhabitants there are areas that are clearly the Shire and areas that clearly are not.

Ah, quite right. There is also a centralized postal system. And it seems there were some legal hoops to jump through in order for Frodo to inherit Bag End from Bilbo. As Lobelia comes by after Bilbo's 2nd disappearance to inspect all the proper documents, only to find out everything is in order.

Is it a post per se or is it an inherited obligation?

Harry Goatleaf is a rather common-sounding name. And he took up with Ferny's lot, so he must not have been paid much. In fact, most of the Bree-folk have surnames that probably aren't so much a proper name, but a common trade/profession. Goatleaf, Appledore, Rushlight, Ferny (think Ferny sold shrubberies as his primary job? )...etc. The most significant figure we meet is

Barliman Butterbur, who is more than a bartender, but a proprietor, and family-owned business the Prancing Pony. He might just be the wealthiest man in town.