Dickens is indeed a great writer, and well worth reading and re-reading.
"Hard Times" is about as close as he comes to a "marxist" position, but even there what he is criticizing is capitalism and utilitarianism with a soul, which I believe any decent conservative should agree with.
What Squarebarb said in #6 is correct. It's not bad to be rich. It's bad to be rich and not share it--to be a miser. Look at the Cheeryble brothers in Nicholas Nickleby, or Oliver Twist's adopted families. Dickens greatly admired rich people who are benevolent and kind to others. The Cheeryble brothers are successful capitalists, too, not landed gentry with inherited wealth, and Nicholas succeeds by apprenticing himself to them.
Oops. "capitalism and utilitarianism with a soul" = "without a soul."
Look at the Cheeryble brothers in Nicholas Nickleby
FWIW One of my fledgling FR posts in Jan/02 on a Tolkien/Power thread was in response to a poster who stated, "Leftism gets its start by suggesting that there are "things we have to do" that require that some be given power over others."
I turned to Dickens to illustrate my understanding of classic liberalism.
With great power comes great responsibility"...Stan LeeI'm not sure if you are equating 'Leftism' with Liberalism. Lately I've been spending my free fiction reading time on enjoying all the Dickens novels I can find. I recall reading that he was something of the 'classic liberal', before the word had assumed so many of the negative connotations that it has today.
My take on his beliefs is that there are "things we have to do" because in some cases we already have more power than others. In his stories this power comes in the form of money. For example in Nicholas Nickleby the use of power in the form of money is contrasted by the characters of Ralph Nickleby and the Cheeryble Twins.
For Ralph the pursuit of money is an end that supercedes any other considerations and is enjoyed only to the extent that it can be used increase itself and Ralph's power over others. He had started at the bottom and through hard work (but what a kind of work !) had increased his fortune and hardened his heart. He could say in his honesty "I am sixty years old too and am neither destitute nor helpless. Work. Don't make fine play-acting speeches about bread, but earn it". But he will not help beyond this advice for "Time is Money"
Contrast the Cheeryble "It was a wilderness to me once. I came here barefoot - I have never forgotten it. Thank God!" Money and power has come also to the Cheerybles but their hearts are filled with gratitude for the blessings of God and it leads them to use their power to help others. They are not foolish enough to be taken advantage of but investigate the circumstances surrounding an individual's plight and if found to be a sound case help to their best to provide shelter and work.
We each are given power. Whether it is the power of money, a strong arm or a quick mind. I can take credit for only so much of my fortune. Why have I remained healthy when others labor under disease or have died younger than I? What caused me to look left rather than right at the Job Center and find that great job?
To see that power has been given to me and to realize that the ultimate source of that power comes from a Higher Power than myself humbles me and with gratitude I ask how may I repay this grace.