In terms of the Church of Scientology, I have to be clear in reiterating Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard‘s policy on politics, which is entitled “Politics, Freedom From,” and wherein he states:

I hereby declare Scientology to be nonpolitical and nonideological.”

…

Scientology is for a free people and is itself on this date declared free of any political connection or allegiance of any kind whatever.”

L. Ron Hubbard was however no stranger to the subject of politics. Since politics itself as a word is derived from the Greek polī́tēs, meaning “citizen”, and Ron was a philosopher concerned with the improvement of people’s lives, he also had something to say on the subject of politics and government.

In working toward true freedom for others, Ron became involved in human rights causes. In his article Goverment and Revolt, he wrote:

Governments by, for and of special privilege are doomed the moment they set up the first barrier to the many. It becomes a barricade.

Ron’s support for human rights and his acknowledgment of civil rights campaigners in the 1960s, as well as his published disgust at Naziism and totalitarian government regimes, would tend to point toward a left-wing political leaning, but then again his disagreement with the hugely unworkable communist model would tend to indicate otherwise. Additionally, in 1966, he wrote about the composition of a successful organisation—including an entire nation.

In speaking of “why organisations stay small,” Ron lays it out like this:

A LARGE ORGANIZATION IS COMPOSED OF GROUPS. A SMALL ORGANIZATION IS COMPOSED OF INDIVIDUALS.

He goes on to mention how this applies to a planet or nation and how in terms of socialism, “The government seeks to run the individual”. Speaking of the countries where he spent most of his time, Ron stated in no uncertain terms:

To the degree that England and the US tax the individual and seek to govern him they will dwindle in size.

Essentially, the groups that make up the larger organisation of a nation would be businesses that produce and contribute to the economy of that nation, a concept most readily embraced by the centre-right political parties and most staunchly, and perhaps memorably, by former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

So where does that leave the Scientologist? There is much philosophical and practical information in Scientology that ought to be applied in the case of choosing a representative one would like to elect. But the only thing that sums up the view taken on government specifically, comes from Ron’s non-religious moral code, The Way To Happiness, which is very much taken to heart by Scientologists. In Precept 10 (see the video), it advises this:

SUPPORT A GOVERNMENT DESIGNED AND RUN FOR ALL THE PEOPLE

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The way to happiness is hard to travel when shadowed with the oppression of tyranny. A benign government, designed and run for ALL the people, has been known to smooth the way: when such occurs, it deserves support.

For more information about Scientology, visit the official Church of Scientology website at http://www.scientology.org/, buy one of the beginning books, or contact your local church or mission.

(The L. Ron Hubbard quotes in this article are from copyrighted material owned by L. Ron Hubbard Library.)