If one reads the books instead of watch the movies, he finds that while Frodo was off on his epic quest with the Fellowship, the world didn't stop and the problems weren't all solved.
Instead of the kissy-fest ending of the movie Return of the King, we find that while Frodo was gone, things were going awry back home in the Shire. Of course, Hollywood had to take out that important point so Frodo and Sam could swap some spit (or at least seem like they wanted to).
Remember:
"Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty . . ." --Wendell Phillips (1852)
Or if you prefer...
"The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance . . ." --John Philpot Curran (1790)
“Instead of the kissy-fest ending of the movie Return of the King, we find that while Frodo was gone, things were going awry back home in the Shire. Of course, Hollywood had to take out that important point so Frodo and Sam could swap some spit (or at least seem like they wanted to).”
The Cleansing of the Shire. I was very disappointed that it was left out.