[HPforGrownups] Re: Democracy and Prejudice in the WW ( with slight tinge of FF)

[Michelle Apostolides]

No: HPFGUIDX 50663

Ali said :
Perhaps the true answer is somewhat different; that the WW don't need 
to be governed as they are largely autonomous. They need only rules 
to protect them from Muggle discovery. I am not happy with this idea, 
although I've struggled to verbalise exactly why. It seems to me that 
it would make the WW either a kind of Utopia or very primitive, 
neither of which do I detect when reading the books.

Me
Well I think I understand what you mean and I think I can explain the reasons for their autonomy. They have no desire to out themselves to the rest of the world. Therefore it is in everybody's interests not to break rules and out themselves. 

Futhermore we are talking about a society that keeps servants, a very strict social hierarchy ( viz Malfoy ), extremist elements ( latent Death Eaters ) and apparantly seems to be quite small. The books and the film just make me think that JKR wants us to think of an earlier age and attitudes when we think about the Wizarding world. 

Ali

I was interested in Michelle's idea about the Minister of Magic 
sitting in the House of Lords. In reality though, what kind of 
influence (other than magical) would an apolitical Peer have?

Me
I don't think he is there to influence directly. I think he is there so that there is a justification for his being privy to discussion on matters which may affect his world. It has also been suggested to me ( thanks to Christian Stuboe ) that he may also be a Privy Councillor. 

According to the Britannia Panorama :
Membership of the Council, which is retained for life, except for very occasional removals, is granted by the Sovereign, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, to people eminent in public life in Britain and the independent monarchies of the Commonwealth. Cabinet ministers must be Privy Counsellors and, if not already members, are admitted to membership before taking their oath of office at a meeting of the Council. There are about 400 Privy Counsellors.
Therefore who would really know if the MoM was one of them ? Just like the House Of Lords is so big that you wouldn't notice him in a big sitting.  Thus giving him a way of making sure that he has a way of informing the Muggle government how any planned changes in law would affect his community. Kind of like places like the Falklands and Tristan Da Cunha are part of the UK, whilst being independant.  

Ali....
It is possible that the Laws of the MoM stem from our Parliament. An 
Act of Parliament, perhaps dating back centuries could have been 
passed authorising any rules of a magical nature to become Law in the 
form of a directive, rather than having to back through Parliament 
each time. This would have the unfortunate consequence that the MoM 
Laws would look anything but democratic, and Arthur would talk 
about "Directives" rather than "Acts".

Me
Yeah that would make sense. But as I said, the Wizards would make some laws for their own protection too. 


Michelle


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