Harry Potter: How did Wizard politics operate?
By Joseph Hayes
An in-depth look at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and how the world of politics, both national and international, seemingly work.
The Wizarding World might be magical but its politics keep it running. The Ministry of Magic is perhaps the most recognizable political aspect of the Wizarding World but what about the areas not completely under their control? After all, any wizard with enough power could seemingly set themselves up as ruler within any area they so choose.
The wizard community is lucky enough to have a staunch ally in Dumbledore, but perhaps it has not always been that way. During Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the reader and viewer get a sense of how the Wizarding World operates in chaos, rampaging bands of “snatchers” looking for victims, some wizards hoping to shut themselves off from the ongoing conflict generated by Lord Voldemort’s return.
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This might have been how the Wizarding World was in the past politically; very localized. The medieval world was one of the city gates and dangerous unknowns, perhaps the wizard counterpart was like that as well with enchantments keeping out intruders with the journey from each city to city very dangerous. After all, a powerful dark wizard can cause a complete meltdown for governments as both Grindelwald and Voldemort showed.
At a national level, perhaps the best figure for illustrating the often slippery world of wizard politics is Cornelius Fudge the Minister of Magic. Fudge is avuncular and likable, yet he is constantly aware he only really ever holds the pretense of power. Fudge feels particularly threatened by Dumbledore and as Tonks comments in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Fudge’s emotions towards the Hogwarts headmaster are; “he is frightened of him”.
Fudge’s grip on the Wizarding World is thus loose, he is constantly under stress and “isn’t in his right mind” as Lupin mentions in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. This impacts Fudge’s emotions throughout the books and films with him going from a cheery friendly wizard to a vindictive and paranoid one.
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To be fair to the Minister for Magic, he has every reason to be paranoid, but his tragedy is to look in the wrong places and target innocent people rather than those amongst the Ministry where pureblood supremacists like Lucius Malfoy have been plotting against him.
But what about on an international level? Well, it seems that international politics work quite well in the Wizarding World. Indeed, while Percy Weasley might not be the most likable of characters (at least until he comes back to help and redeem himself in the Battle of Hogwarts) he seems competent enough at his job helping to manage international wizarding affairs and his attention to detail is certainly an important skill.
Ron mentions that anyone speaking to Percy about the international wizarding situation will have “the pants bored off” them but this shows a useful enthusiasm as well and Ron should be perhaps more grateful that Percy isn’t dealing with dangerous situations. Indeed, there seems to be little trouble at all internationally, which must be a relief for many of the older wizards who lived through the bad times of the Grindelwald menace.
Indeed, the fact that in the Wizarding World it is often individuals who carry the power (Voldemort could probably by himself take on at least a small nation) rather than nations, makes for a kind of equality and it seems to bring a sort of peace. After all, to be on the safe side, wizards need all the allies both nationally and internationally whenever the next Grindelwald or Voldemort should arise!
dark. Next. What were wizard holidays like in the world of Harry Potter?
When you came across Harry Potter, what did you think of the political aspect within the story? Was this something you even noticed? Drop a comment below sharing your thoughts.