Why Voldemort is a fascist... (LONG)

[arrowsmithbt]

No: HPFGUIDX 108965

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "cubfanbudwoman" <susiequsie23 at s...> 
wrote:
> Kneasy wrote:
> > He hates; that's his credo and it's a personal grudge writ large. 
> > Even so he was willing to let Lily live. His agenda might be more 
> > flexible than you think.
> 
> SSSusan:
> I'm sure it's a bit disappointing after a lengthy post like this was 
> that I'm going to just pull this little piece out.  But, well, it's 
> the part that interests me most just now.  
> 
> Can you flesh this out, Kneasy?  Just what are you saying?  Why 
> *might* Voldy have been willing to let Lily live?  I've some 
> thoughts on this, too, but I'm always interested to hear multiple 
> views.
> 

It all depends on which level you want to look at it and how JKR
has constructed  the Voldy character.

Firstly and most probably IMO, it's a wrinkle in the plot that 
will have/has had significance that we can't at the moment fathom.

Secondly and in terms of the current thread *if* Voldy is an 
ideologically driven fanatic determined to instute the  primacy of
purebloods at any cost then one would expect him to wipe out
Lily with absolutely no compunction. He didn't. So maybe he's
not being ideologically driven; maybe he's a pragmatist doing 
what he sees as necessary to achieve his personal ends. 

Lily has defied him 3 times we're told. For a murdering ideologue 
this would be unforgivable and would merit the ultimate sanction.
But Voldy isn't thinking along those lines - he wants to kill Harry,
that seems to be his sole aim. James possibly and Lily for sure 
need not have died. But if they get in the way then die they will.
That is a very cold pragmatic way of assessing the 'mission' - that
it's a safeguard for his future security, not an aspect or reflection 
of a wider political agenda. 

You can bet your house that Bella would have viewed it differently
 - she would have killed Lily because of what Lily is and James 
because he's a 'blood-traitor'. (Assuming James is pureblood - 
not certain but quite likely.) 

There's a big difference between the two approaches IMO, though
the results would have been the same.

As I pointed out in my previous post unfettered personal rule
always ends up  the same. A dictator is a dictator is a dictator.
*Nobody* is safe, it doesn't matter what class, creed or political  
grouping they belong to. The only means of survival is total and
unthinking subservience to the Great Leader, nothing else will save
them and even then it might not be enough.
In such circumstances labels like fascist, marxist or nutcase become
totally irrelevent to those suffering under them. It's solely of interest
to those who come later, commentators with 20/20 hindsight. 

Kneasy