Witches and the Statutes of Secrecy was Re: a lot of Names, interrupted...

[Ceridwen]

No: HPFGUIDX 154934

Carol:
> Carol, who again asks anyone who opposes her suggestion to present a
> plausible alternative rather than implying that the idea of presenting
> a bit of shared British and American history in a post is somehow
> "arrogant"

Ceridwen:
Not really opposing, but offering an alternative.  Since the Salem 
Witch Trials were near the end of the persecution, could the date have 
been selected to convey the reason for the waning Muggle interest in 
persecuting, rather than the other way around?  Remove the victims, and 
there is no more need to persecute.  The WW closed in on itself 
completely and divorced itself from the rest of human company, removing 
the 'need' to find and kill witches.

Interesting, as I think Red Hen pointed out, that Enlightenment and 
Industrialization followed this removal.  Someone mentioned the idea of 
Muggles coming to the WW to solve Muggle problems.  Enlightenment seems 
to be the complete antithisis (sp?) of this.  It is relying on Man's 
mind rather than any extra intervention, Divine or otherwise, 
Industrialization provides more 'magical' things (as in our technology 
today which can be compared favorably to some of the magical things in 
the WW).  The seperation of the WW from the Muggle world encouraged 
Muggles to do for themselves and to create different forms of 
government and encourage greater interest in learning.

The Statutes of Secrecy may also have been instrumental in the 
reduction of persecutions, rather than an odd reaction to the dwindling 
of persecution.

Ceridwen.