International wirardry WAS On the subject of Umbridge

[Miles]

No: HPFGUIDX 143796

Bart Lidofsky wrote:
> And are there any other magical governing bodies? What are they doing
> about the situation? If not, then why aren't non-British wizards or
> witches involved in the Ministry of Magic?

> Amontillada:
> Very good questions! It seems to me that the Ministry of Magic has
> been presented as specifically governing the Magical branch of the
> United Kingdom. The Minister of/for Magic reports (in times of crisis,
> when the WW is seen as inevitably intersecting with the Muggle world)
> to the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street.

Miles:
I'm afraid we should avoid to dig deep on this topic. Because if we do, we
very soon come to the conclusion, that the wirzarding world of Rowling
simply does not work, if we try to transfer the impressions we have in canon
to a consistent (not to speak of complete) underlying system.

Just two points to illustrate.
a) Why should wizards stick to the borders set by muggles? We all know that
these borders are somehow silly in general, and especially concerning
specific borders. Do you think there were separated East- and Western-German
wizards until 1989? Is there a wizard's IRA bombing for the Catholic wizards
in Northern Ireland?
There is simply no need to keep in contact with muggle institutions - the
prime minister of the UK does not have any benefit from the information
Fudge and Scrimgeour give him. All muggles affected by wizard's actions are
manipulated to forget them. No, it simply is just a piece of entertainment
and, I'm afraid, Rowling did not think too much about the ministry and
muggle borders and states and their relation to the wizards' world.
b) Something from Professor Binn's lessons - there are wizards representing
Liechtenstein in international wizarding organisations? If we think of
100,000 wizards and witches in the UK (there should be much less, see Redhen
http://www.redhen-publications.com/WizPopulation.html), than Liechtenstein
would inhibit five (!) wizards and witches, and Luxemburg, as well mentioned
as an official country for wizards, would have about 50.

Just don't count, enjoy. And don't ask for things you'd better not want to
know ;).

Miles