THEORY: Hogwarts curriculum

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 112664

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Nora Renka" <nrenka at y...> 
wrote:
>> 
> Law, I can only see in the case of a particularly devoted Muggle 
> liason worker--but it's just the kind of think to shake up the 
> WW...imagine, someone coming back in with these insane Muggle 
ideas--
> innocent until proven guilty, actual courts with juries... I know 
I'm 
> probably mangling some of the very profound differences between 
> British and American law (and I know they're based on rather 
> different traditions), but the WW justice system is *distinctly* 
> unimpressive.  The courtroom scene in GoF is downright Soviet.
> 


Alla: 

You see, Nora , I think you are correct in substance of your 
comparison, because Soviet system of justice was really very unjust, 
but I can see some significant difference.

Crowd in GoF (is it supposed to be some pathetic equivalent of the 
jury, I am not even sure) at least has some power - popular Bagman 
is off the hook.
It is actually kind of reminded me of Greek justice system, when 
people came together and supposedly decided important questions of 
their everyday life (Am I making sense? I don't remember the english 
word for  such meeting at the agora)

In the Soviet Union, people never had ANY power to decide the 
questions of guilty and innocence of their peers. Jury of your 
peers  was untill quite recently considered to be an insane idea 
indeed. Communist party decided everything behind the scenes. Those 
who disagreed with the regime were deemed guilty way before trials 
even started.
 Although for a short time in 19th century Russia tried to implement 
the jury system, but it all ended when bolsheviks came to power.


In many other aspects your comparison is right on, though. Sirius 
thrown to prison without a trial reminded me of Troykas during 
Stalin time. You know, three people get together and decide the fate 
of the person.