Wizard Economics

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 33964

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Alexander <lav at t...> wrote:

>   Some thoughts about Wizarding World economics.
<snip>
> 1) Foodstuff.
> 
>   Yes, it's not funny. Just tell me - do you believe in lots
> of wizard-farmers who grow all that foodstuff that Molly
> Weasley is so good cooking with? No, that would be nearly
> senseless. We can reasonably assume that most of foodstuff,
> clothing (at least fabrics), and most other "mundane" things
> come directly from muggle-world.
<snip>
>   The only trouble that still remains is the foodstuff and
> fabrics. They are still most likely made by muggles and sold
> to Wizards for _muggle_ prices. But then they should be
> really expensive!
> 
>   They are not.
> 
>   What have we got? That there ARE wizards who are conjuring
> all that wheat, salt and everything?
> 
>   Definitely a subject for further research.

Salt? Well, there are either wizard salt mines, or they are 
extracting sea salt by magical means. As for raw foodstuffs and 
natural fibers, probably there are indeed wizard farms, but they 
are far more efficient and productive than even  modern Muggle 
farms. We know that Hagrid can grow giant pumpkins, and I get 
the impression Hogwarts grows all its own vegetables. There 
could be  fields attached to Hogsmeade and to the Malfoy manor 
where grain is grown. Enchanted crops might have many times 
the yield of conventional ones, could harvest themselves when 
they are ripe, rid themselves of infestation without having to be 
sprayed, and conceal themselves from prying Muggle eyes by 
making themselves look exactly like any other stand of grain.

Another possibility, more supported by folklore, is that the 
wizards are stealing from us. Cases of blighted crops and 
unproductive milk animals were often blamed on theft by  
witchcraft.  In the case of crops, the witch or wizard would be 
thought to have stolen the "foison" (the inherent vitality) of the 
crop for their own use.  Of course I am sure the Ministry of Magic 
would frown on such things nowadays.

Pippin