Christ as a Social Reformer & Writings in Red | Arthur Desmond, Ragnar Redbeard

New Zealander Arthur Desmond (1859-1929) was a poet, author, political activist, unionist, and agitator. Nowadays he’s probably most famous for penning the infamous 1896 book Might is Right under the pseudonym Ragnar Redbeard.

He was an unconventional and radical political activist who’d fought hard for the worker’s rights. Around the time for when these texts were written he had already planted the seed to which later became his Social Darwinist Thundering Opus—Might is Right.

In June 1890 Arthur Desmond got his article “Christ as a Social Reformer,” published in Zealandia, a Dunedin magazine. The article quickly became popular and in October he arranged for it to be printed as a pamphlet by Mr. Arthur Cleave, of Vulcan lane.

Presented here for the first time since 1890 is Arthur Desmond’s Christ as a Social Reformer & Writings in Red—which includes Mr. Van Deusen’s article “Ecclesiastical Christianity versus Jesus.” This is a collection of Desmond’s writings, poetry, and correspondence. All his published works in Zealandia. His Union and strike articles. Critiques and controversy between the years 1889-1891.