Ebenezer Scrooge: Conservative or Liberal?

[vegascowboy]

Just for fun, what would you say?

I read A Christmas Carol every year, and every year I have a different insight into the characters in the story, most particularly Ebenezer Scrooge.

For those of you who are familiar with Dickens' work (or, at the very least, a good theatrical version), do you believe that Scrooge was a liberal or a conservative?

I have my opinion, which I will share, but I'd like to hear what you have to say.

Think carefully.

 

[ghost]

Pre or post the ghosts?

By the way, I like the way ghosts were used to change his mind, don't you?

 

[vegascowboy]

Pre or post the ghosts?

Excellent point. Both.

By the way, I like the way ghosts were used to change his mind, don't you?

One of the more intriguing concepts in the story, I agree!

 

[ghost]

I'm going to say :idunno:

 

[vegascowboy]

I'm going to say :idunno:

I've changed my opinion as I've read the story more and as I've thought about it through the years.

I will share my thoughts tomorrow, but I'd like to hear what folks have to say.

Another thought...does this story appeal to religion? Ethics?

 

[quip]

con to (post ghost) neo-con

 

[MrRadish]

Free-market anti-unionist atheistic capitalist (i.e. right-libertarian) to charitable apolitical Christian, it would appear.

 

[Arthur Brain]

Free-market anti-unionist atheistic capitalist (i.e. right-libertarian) to charitable apolitical Christian, it would appear.

Um, ya, I can see where you're coming from with that actually Mr R....

 

[genuineoriginal]

For those of you who are familiar with Dickens' work (or, at the very least, a good theatrical version), do you believe that Scrooge was a liberal or a conservative?

I think he is Brittish...

 

[Arthur Brain]

I think he is Brittish...

Rumour has it he was actually a Slovvakian immigrant....

 

[MrRadish]

Rumour has it he was actually a Slovvakian immigrant....

And 'Scrooge' is a rendering of the common Slovakian surname 'Zkruje', which is actually pronounced 'Screwy'.

And that's how Scrooge McDuck is related to Huey, Louie and Dewey! The more you know....

 

[Arthur Brain]

And 'Scrooge' is a rendering of the common Slovakian surname 'Zkruje', which is actually pronounced 'Screwy'.

And that's how Scrooge McDuck is related to Huey, Louie and Dewey! The more you know....

Dakujem.....

Sorta.....

lain:

 

[Lighthouse]

While many may want to argue that Scrooge was a conservative or right-winger before the ghosts his insistence that the government should take care of the poor with the money they received in taxes, which he paid, and he should get to keep the rest of his money to himself paints a different picture altogether. And his refusal to pay his employee equal to the work he did does this as well.

It is the latter that shows he was part of the problem, creating the poor by working Bob hard and paying him less than he was worth. Of course Bob helped in that by remaining there instead of finding a different job with someone who knew what good help was worth. However who knows how easy that was to find in that day.:idunno:

Luckily Ebenezer did change, but to what degree is never really explored in the book, outside of a sentence or two.

 

[MrRadish]

While many may want to argue that Scrooge was a conservative or right-winger before the ghosts his insistence that the government should take care of the poor with the money they received in taxes, which he paid, and he should get to keep the rest of his money to himself paints a different picture altogether. And his refusal to pay his employee equal to the work he did does this as well.

Working Bob hard and paying him the lowest wage he'd accept is a fundamental part of unregulated capitalism. The highest prices consumers will accept - the lowest wages the workers will accept = maximum profit. He also complains about how having to give holiday pay to his workers is unfair, which sounds to me to be rather like the sort of thing employers come out with when confronted by trade union movements.

Also, he said that the government ought to take care of the poor in the sense that they should send them to prison. I'm not sure that counts.

 

[chrysostom]

Christmas Carol is about the past
and
it no longer applies today

 

[TomO]

Christmas Carol is about the past
and
it no longer applies today

lain: I agree with Chrys. (as shocking as that may be ) The moral structure and attitudes, as well as the political issues of the time as opposed to today make an honest comparison impossible.

 

[chrysostom]

lain: I agree with Chrys. (as shocking as that may be ) The moral structure and attitudes, as well as the political issues of the time as opposed to today make an honest comparison impossible.

thanks for changing your avatar

 

[vegascowboy]

lain: I agree with Chrys. (as shocking as that may be ) The moral structure and attitudes, as well as the political issues of the time as opposed to today make an honest comparison impossible.

I have enjoyed everyone's comments, but this one, to me, is perhaps the most surprising. I'd love to hear you expand on this, because I (kinda, sorta) disagree with you TomO. :argue:

 

[chrysostom]

I have enjoyed everyone's comments, but this one, to me, is perhaps the most surprising. I'd love to hear you expand on this, because I (kinda, sorta) disagree with you TomO. :argue:

you don't like him agreeing with me?
or
you don't like what I said?

 

[vegascowboy]

you don't like him agreeing with me?
or
you don't like what I said?

Yes...and no. I like what you said (as well as TomO), I am just not certain that the moral attitudes that people owned "back then" were so far removed from the attitudes today. In other words, I still feel that they have consequence today and that they bear scrutiny.

I even find the abortion issue to be quite prevalent in the story.