Is the wizarding world a democracy?

[sbursztynski]

No: HPFGUIDX 75186

This may have been handled in another thread, so excuse me if it has, 
but ... just how *is* the wizard government chosen? While it's not 
impossible that an idiot like Fudge would be elected democratically 
(he makes Jim Hacker of Yes, Minister look like an intellectual), he 
seems more like the head of the civil service, but more - in a 
democracy, Voldemort wouldn't have to resort to violence, he'd just 
have to stand in the next election. He'd wipe the floor with Fudge. 
Remember, even Hitler was democratically elected in the beginning,
and Tom Riddle seems to have been quite charismatic, handsome and 
plausible. Fudge wouldn't have the powers we find out he has in OoP, 
he wouldn't be worrying about Dumbledore raising an army, only that
he might stand against him next election and you certainly wouldn't 
have people being dragged off to that nightmarish place Azkaban 
without a trial, as Hagrid was in CoS.

Just a thought. I'd be interested in others' thoughts on this.