Tolkien's political views

[Zigûr]

Originally Posted by Boromir88

He's not a politician, in the sense of an elected official.

I suppose it could be argued that Denethor was not a politician by position, but he used his authority and position in the manner of a politician, most notably in the way that he opposed Sauron because Sauron was his rival for political supremacy in western Middle-earth and not because Sauron was an evil monster who was trying to conquer the earth and replace God.

Denethor was tainted with mere politics: hence his failure, and his mistrust of Faramir. It had become for him a prime motive to preserve the polity of Gondor, as it was, against another potentate, who had made himself stronger and was to be feared and opposed for that reason rather than because he was ruthless and wicked. (Letter 183)