More about the wizarding world and empire...

[errolowl <nithya_rachel@hotmail.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 50993





Chiming in even later than David..

While the British WW seems to reflect the muggle population 
composition, and with it the imperialist roots, it does not 
necessarily imply that they actively participated in it. For one, it 
does not follow that the WW has the same balance of political power 
that the muggle world does. How powerful was the wizarding culture in 
19th century India? Would the Fakirs et al be `conquered' by
the Brits? If anything they could be more magically advanced, with 
magical schools stretching back thousands of years. This holds true 
for any other area colonized, be it China or Africa. 

David:
>>Whether JKR's backstory for the WW includes wizarding participation 
in the imperial venture, I can't say, but note that the 'muggle-
born' argument cuts both ways: if a wizard was born to Muggle 
Britons in 19th century India, what cultural influences would he 
have brought to the indigenous British WW?<<

David's point is interesting...where *would* a wizard born to
muggle Britons in 19th century India go to school? Does the magic 
quill put his name down for Hogwarts? Or does he go to the local 
Ashram of Magic? Does he have the option? Would his parents accept 
it? If he were to go to a local school, would his muggle prejudices 
against `natives' color his reaction to his peers? The Indian
WW could still have got a dose of muggle imperialist attitudes 
without active participation.  

Immigration into Britain also does not need to have the imperialist 
impetus that fueled the muggle immigration patterns. How about the 
dynamics of pure supply and demand? What percentage of the British 
population is magical? With the problems of over population in the 
rest of the world/ or greater proportions of the magically endowed, 
immigration to a low density area where you could find more jobs is 
quite feasible. This is just one (not very well thought out) possible 
scenario, quite separate from the muggle world. Just because England 
is crowded, doesn't mean the WW perceives it to be so. The
Patils, Johnsons, and Lees could have just moved there recently –
not necessarily an imperialist hangover. People move to the US all 
the time don't they? <g> 

Now about Names. I'm from India, but my surname is Harris. It was 
inspired generations ago from some European friends my ancestors had. 
My family has always lived in India – the name wasn't an
attempt to `fit in'. (If anything I imagine it would have set
themapart from their neighbors). While that may be a colonial 
hangover, it could just as easily have happened to a pureblood 
wizarding family from India who didn't have an Imperial WW Empire 
upon them –the muggle one would suffice.

Angelina's family could have been influenced by muggle
imperialism in the Caribbean (or wherever they are from) and be no 
indicator of the WW's policies.

Errol
who suspects that the muggle Empire casts long shadows over the WW