[HPforGrownups] Questions from American Muggle/'Shipping Post

[Neil Ward]

No: HPFGUIDX 8195

Charmian said:

<<<On how nearly all the adults work for the state (with the exception  of
one of Ron's brothers who works for the bank, Lockhart, Skeeter,  L. Malfoy,
and Voldy...it seems to be the expected thing to go into  civil service) :
I recall reading an British novel set recently  where a lot of the
characters also all worked at Whitehall (and the rest were academics). Is
this some sort of British convention?>>>

Hi Charmian,

We haven't heard about much of the wizarding job market outside Hogwarts,
the Wizarding Government and the traders of Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade (and
not much of the last two), so that may have created a biased picture.  I'm
not sure I agree that most of the adults work for the state: does Madam
Malkin? Mr Ollivander? Madam Rosmerta? the authors of all those schoolbooks?
There must be countless minor characters and unmentioned people who don't
work for the state.

When it comes to working for the state in real Britain, I think it depends
on the choice of job, career or vocation .  Obviously, some companies/bodies
are state-owned or state-run, but many are privately-owned or privately-run.
There is no expectation of people to join the civil service, although
working for the civil service certainly carries prestige and a public (US:
private) school/Oxbridge education could open a few doors there,
particularly in Whitehall.

Hmmm.  I hope I've responded to your question and not got the wrong end of
the stick!

Neil
_____________________________________

Flying-Ford-Anglia

"Ron, full of turkey and cake and with nothing
mysterious to bother him, fell asleep almost
as soon as he'd drawn the curtains of his
four-poster."

[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]