G.K. Chesterton is an author greatly renowned in both the conservative Catholic world and in Non Catholic circles as well. Loved for his humility, humor, easy-going attitude and love of life, G.K. Chesterton has converted numerous people to the Catholic faith and orthodoxy (Traditionalism).
As an author G.K. Chesterton wrote quite extensively writing around 80 books, several hundred poems, several hundred short stories, several thousand essays and a few plays. His writing consisted of almost every topic one could think of. From Politics to Fiction, from Religion to Economics chances are G.K. Chesterton wrote something about it.
Though less known today, G.K. Chesterton in his day was a champion of the common man and a defender of private property thus finding himself battling both the Capitalists and the Socialists. He considered both systems to be wrong and instead promoted the system of Distributism in many of his essays.
Distributism, also called Third Way economics is a system where, as much as possible, Capital (things that produce wealth i.e. machinery, land, animals, businesses etc.) is owned by the majority of people as opposed to several multi billionaires who have a monopoly on the market. Family owned Capital, Craftsmanship instead of mass production and more local instead of international markets are features of Distributism. The book 'Outline of Sanity', a compilation of Chesterton's essays on this system, discusses Distributism.
G.K. Chesterton was also known for his views on Patriotism and his dislike for Imperialism. To Chesterton, England was his country not the British Empire. His love was specifically for Merry England and would often praise distinctly English things like English pubs, beer, songs and legends. He greatly disliked the industrialization of his country and called for people to return to the land. He also supported Craftsmanship, disliking mass production and he called for people to buy from the "small shops" and stay away from the big departments stores.
Chesterton was quite skeptical of the Skeptic and often denounced Materialism and the many other modern ideas of the time.
Not all of Chesterton's views are compatible with Traditionalists however, especially his praise of the French Revolution. This was mostly due to his love of Democracy and the common man.
Excepting his few erroneous views G.K. Chesterton's writings continue to encourage, educate, entertain and win over Traditionalists and though many groups claim him as their hero, I am sure he would not have disliked being called a Traditionalist were he to have seen this time. Let us devote ourselves therefore to reading the marvelous works of this Traditionalist Writer: G.K. Chesterton.
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