WIZARDING WORLD -- GOVERNMENT

By Penny Linsenmayer

The information included in the HP books relating to the organization and workings of the governmental bodies for the wizarding world has thus far been rather sparse. The "Schoolbooks" (Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them), released in March 2001, provided some additional information. Still, this topic has generated a fair amount of conjecture. This FAQ notes the source of all information (including notations as to pure speculation).

How much, if any, interaction is there between the governments of wizards and muggles? Is the Ministry another department within the Muggle Cabinet?[1] Rowling intimates that there is some interaction between the Ministry of Magic and the Muggle Prime Minister of Great Britain (the Ministry notified the Prime Minister of Black's escape from Azkaban in Book 3). However, it seems unlikely to several members that knowledge of the wizarding world would be entrusted to a changing array of muggle prime ministers.[2]

The Ministry of Magic (Great Britain)

The Ministry of Magic ("MoM") includes the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the government system for the wizarding population of Great Britain. It was previously known as the Wizards' Council.[3]

As presented in the HP books so far, the MoM is a confused jumble of departments, offices and committees (and can be said to be the epitome of an inefficient and possibly corrupt bureaucracy).[4] We have attempted to sort the known departments, offices and committees into the appropriate branches of government and provide some framework of reference for the wizarding system of government in Great Britain. The framework below is, therefore, primarily speculative (the names of the departments and their purposes being somewhat well-defined in the books but the overall organization of each department within the MoM being largely conjectural).

We also note that Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them (page xviii) states that there are a total of 7 Departments within the MoM. However, there are 8 MoM Departments identified in the books. Are the Departments of Accidental Magic Reversal and Magical Catastrophes one and the same?[5] Why doesn't the MoM have standard departments relating to health, taxation, war/defense, etc.?[6]

Executive Branch of the MoM

The Minister of Magic is the head of the MoM and a member of the executive arm of the MoM. The Minister of Magic in Books 1-4 is Cornelius Fudge (Character Sketch included in Yahoogroups Message 3124). Hagrid tells Harry that Fudge is a "bungler" who "pelts Dumbledore with owls every morning," asking for advice.[7] The readers first meet Minister Fudge in Book 2, when he visits Hogwarts for the purpose of removing Hagrid (suspected of opening the Chamber of Secrets) to Azkaban, the wizard prison.[8] Harry has a personal encounter with Fudge in the third book when Fudge showed up at the Leaky Cauldron to personally see that Harry was safely ensconced at the inn for the remainder of his holiday time.[9] In the earlier sections of Book 4, Fudge continues to be portrayed as an "officious twit," the consummate bureaucrat. However, by the ending scenes of Book 4, many readers question whether Fudge is in fact just a "vaguely amusing bungler" or if he might in fact be allied with Lord Voldemort.[10]

Fudge certainly bears strong likenesses to Neville Chamberlain[11], as he steadfastly turns a blind eye to impending doom.[12] Is Fudge merely playing the ultimate politician and sitting the fence so as not to offend either side?[13] Is he naïve or merely guilty of attempting to deal with symptoms rather than underlying problems?[14] Is he an example of ambition taken too far, ambition that blinds him to the possible consequences of his failure to act?[15] Because of Fudge's refusal to act, the wizarding community will be off-guard.[16] The moral lesson that might be drawn from Fudge's action is that "evil flourishes when good people stand by and do nothing."[17]

Are Fudge's actions the result of something more sinister than being an ambitious bureaucrat? Is he being controlled by Lord Voldemort or the dark forces through the Imperius Curse?[18] Or, is he in fact one of Voldemort's Death Eaters? He summoned a Dementor to administer the Dementors' Kiss to Barty Crouch, Jr.; he smiled vaguely when Dumbledore began to tell him that Lord Voldemort had risen again; he defended all the Death Eaters named by Harry as being present when Voldemort returned to power; he cast aspersions on Harry's veracity and his character; and he flat-out refuses to heed Dumbledore's warnings and take the actions Dumbledore suggests to prepare the wizarding world to defend itself against Lord Voldemort.[19] If he is a Death Eater, why is there no space in the circle of Death Eaters for him?[20]

Arthur Weasley and his son Percy (as of Book 4) are employees of the MoM. By the end of Book 4, readers may question whether Arthur Weasley has not advanced within the MoM as a result of his personal views about muggles.[21] Readers may also wonder whether Percy will abandon his ambitious plans for career advancement in Fudge's MoM in favor of family loyalty.[22] See also "The Weasley Family FAQ."

Although it hasn't yet been mentioned in the books, the Minister of Magic presumably also has a Cabinet comprised of the heads of certain key departments within the MoM. The Executive Branch of the MoM likely contains certain key departments that haven't yet been mentioned but surely must exist (such as treasury, state, foreign affairs, defense, taxes and the like) as well as the various administrative departments listed below.

Organization of the Executive Branch of the MoM

Minister of Magic

Cabinet

Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures[23]

2nd largest Department at the MoM (with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement being the largest)

1. Division of Beasts[24]

(includes Centaurs & Merpeople by their request)

Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures[25]

Magical Creatures Supervisory Office (speculative)

Dragon Research and Restraint Bureau[26]

Centaur Liasion Office[27]

Werewolf Registrar (1947)[28]

Werewolf Capture Unit[29]

Pest Subdivision[30]

2. Division of Beings[31]

Goblin Liaison Office[32]

Office for House-Elf Relocation[33]

Werewolf Support Services[34]

3. Division of Spirits[35]

Ghoul Task Force[36]

Department of Accidental Magic Reversal[37]

Improper Use of Magic Office[38]

Obliviators

Department of International Magical Cooperation[39]

Headed by Bartemius Crouch, Sr.

Department of Magical Catastrophes[40]

Office of Misinformation[41]

Department of Magical Games and Sports[42]

Headed by Ludo Bagman

Formed in 1750[43]

Created the Quidditch League of Britain & Ireland in 1674[44]

Department of Magical Transportation[45]

Apparition Licensing & Regulation Office (speculative)

Floo Regulation Panel[46]

Portkey Coordination Committee (speculative)

Department of Muggle Relations & Affairs (speculative)

Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office[47]

Headed by Arthur Weasley

Department of Mysteries[48]

Department of Magical Education (speculative)

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry Board of Governors[49]

Department of Research and Development (speculative)

Committee on Experimental Charms[50]

Registrar of Witches and Wizards (speculative)

A census or registrar of the wizarding population[51]

Legislative Branch of the MoM

Although this branch of the MoM has been discussed the least in the HP books so far, it surely must exist for several key wizarding statutes have been mentioned. The legislative arm of the MoM would be responsible for writing and passing laws. The legislative branch might also create, approve and administer the accompanying rules and regulations, but this function might also be handled by the various departments of the executive branch. Are there laws that prevent wizards from selling their talents to muggles (does the Muggle Protection Act proscribe this activity?)?[52]

Wizarding Statutes, Regulations & Rules

Muggle Protection Act[53]

Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery[54]

Guidelines for the Treatment of Non-Wizard Part-Humans[55]

Registry of Proscribed Charmable Objects[56]

Werewolf Code of Conduct[57]

Ban on Experimental Breeding (1965) (prevents creation of new & untameable monsters in Britain)[58]

Judicial Branch of the MoM

This branch of the government has charge of enforcing wizarding laws. There has been scant discussion of this branch in the HP series so far as well. However, FBWTFT identifies the Department of Magical Law Enforcement as the largest department at the Ministry of Magic. This source also indicates that the remaining 6 Departments in the MoM are all, to some extent, answerable to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement (except perhaps the Department of Mysteries).[59]

It strikes many of our members that the MoM's judicial system is in need of reform.[60]

Department of Magical Law Enforcement[61]

Council of Magical Law[62]

Trial court level (there may be no court of higher resort)

Magical Law Enforcement[63]

Detectives (speculative)

Enforcers (Hit Wizards) (speculative)

Office of Dark Arts Defense (speculative)

Aurors[64]

Equivalent Wizarding Governments in Other Countries

The wizarding populations of other countries have a government body that is likely equivalent to the MoM, but could be instead modeled more after the muggle government system of that particular country.[65] However, because the HP books are set in Great Britain, readers have been introduced to very limited information about the wizarding government systems in other countries.

International Government

There is an International Confederation of Wizards[66], which may be a body akin to the United Nations that regulates relations among the various wizarding populations of the world. The International Code of Wizarding Secrecy[67] is currently adhered to by all wizard ministries worldwide. In 1692, the ICW enacted an international statute that still gives a witch or wizard the right to carry a wand at all times.[68]

While there is no firm evidence for this in the HP books, one member (fanfic author Lori Summers) has created an intricate model for a plausible international organization of wizards, the International Federation of Wizards.

Speculative Model for Organization of the

International Confederation of Wizards

Office of the Chancellor

Chancellor

Deputy Chancellor

Council of Ministers

Comprised of the Ministers of Magic for major nations in the world

Division of Adjudication

Central Wizard Court (akin to the International Court of Justice)

Confederation Enforcement Corps

This body would have international or regional jurisdiction that supersedes the individual Enforcement divisions of the various Ministries of Magic.

Precincts (with Detectives and Enforcers)