There are many memorable parts of the Harry Potter books and film franchise, including the Ministry of Magic. When Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) begins attending Hogwarts, he learns all about the world of wizards and muggles. And he quickly figures out who he can trust and who he has to be wary and suspicious of. It's this tension between good and evil that makes the Harry Potter franchise so beloved and timeless.
From the purpose of the Ministry of Magic to the various Ministers of Magic throughout the course of the story, there is a lot to know about this aspect of Harry Potter. Is the Ministry of Magic a good thing and what do Harry and his peers learn about them over time?
What Is The Ministry Of Magic?
The Ministry of Magic in Harry Potter ensures that muggles don't discover that there are wizards among them. They are essentially the government for the magic Irish and British magic communities. While some things don't make sense about the muggles in Harry Potter, the Ministry of Magic is right to want to hide the fact that there is magic around them. However, that doesn't mean that they always do the right thing.
The Ministry of Magic is essentially a metaphor for what happens when those who are in charge think that they know what's best for everyone else. As is true of both Harry Potter and actual government, this doesn't always work out well. Harry Potter and his friends are often at odds with the Ministry of Magic and trying to figure out why they make the decisions that they do. There is a leader in charge and then there are various employees under them, much like the structure of a typical and traditional government. In this way, the Ministry of Magic mirrors the actual world.
What Does The Minister For Magic Do?
The head of the Ministry of Magic is the Minister for Magic. They are the leader who everyone has to listen to and who is in charge of all the major decisions. Some Ministers for Magic are more popular and qualified than others. And this is endlessly frustrating to observe, of course.
There are many powerful Harry Potter characters who hold this position. The first person is Ulick Gamp, who was the Wizengamot's Chief Warlock. While Albus Dumbledore (Richard Harris and Michael Gambon) came close to being appointed, the others were unsure that he could handle it, which was sad to see. In the '90s, Cornelius Fudge (Robert Hardy) was the leader, then Rufus Scrimgeour (Bill Nighy), Pius Thicknesse (Guy Henry), and Kingsley Shacklebolt (George Harris), although only for a brief period of time.
Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) has a fascinating end to her character arc. After Hermione and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) end up together, which some love and some don't, she becomes the Minister for Magic. This is seen as a positive thing as she is an intelligent leader who wants to do good in the world. It seems that Hermione will ensure that the Ministry of Magic operates the way that it should.
Was The Ministry Of Magic Corrupt?
The Ministry of Magic is definitely corrupt, at least in some form. Throughout the Harry Potter franchise, they are shown to cause problems for Harry Potter. They also don't seem truly committed to beating the Death Eaters and the forbidden name Lord Voldemort.
Harry Potter is making a statement about how corrupt government can be and how politicians can pretend to have good intentions. However, there's often more going on behind the scenes, which is exactly what happens here. Some fans have a problem with the secretive way that the Ministry of Magic finds out that people have used magic when they weren't supposed to. No one knows how this happens. If the ministry wanted to be more fair, they would share their process.
The Minister of Magic was problematic and corrupt during the Second Wizarding War because they did what they could to make sure that muggles didn't find out about the existence of magic. But this meant putting muggles into harm's way, which was a shame. There are many battles throughout Harry Potter and the First and Second Wizarding Wars are two of the most important.
Cornelius Fudge is perhaps the best example of a corrupt Minister for Magic. He often talks to Dumbledore about how he should handle his position, which is further proof that Dumbledore was treated terribly and should have been allowed to hold this position instead. While the Harry Potter movies make changes to Hermione, some better than others, it's smart and logical that she becomes the Minister for Magic at the end of the story.