In the Muggle world, many governing bodies have been proven to be questionable at times, especially in relation to corruption, bribery, misuse of power, and more. Unfortunately, this is also reflected in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, at least before the fall of Voldemort in the late 1990s.

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Although the wizards and witches in the Ministry of Magic, the governing body of the magical community in the United Kingdom, possess magical abilities, it does not mean they are free from the temptations of greed and criminal activity. Even worse, the irresponsible people who commit these crimes are not shy to use their magic to do such atrocious acts, severely harming society in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

7 Accepting Bribes For Leniency

Corrupt And Immoral Leaders

The Ministry of Magic is known to be morally corrupt, whereas they will not be shy to accept bribery if it benefits them. Not every member of the Ministry's staff does this, but there are so many cases where corruption is severe and rampant, even dating back to the old times. In one instance, Dolores Umbridge released Mundungus Fletcher from his crimes after she accepted bribes from him.

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In another case, it is an open secret that Cornelius Fudge often got funded with gold by Lucius Malfoy in exchange for discreet information about people in the magical community. This rampant corruption is inherently bad to the point that Harry Potter refused to be the advocate for the Ministry, although he was asked several times to be one.

6 Employing Dementors

Promoting Inhumane Punishment

It is very well known that before Kingsley Shacklebolt’s leadership, the Ministry of Magic employed and essentially took advantage of Dementors to guard the Prison of Azkaban. The corrupt government sought a cheaper option to minimize spending for the sake of the leaders’ own gain.

Dementors are violent and dangerous creatures who will go after anyone who is suited to be their victim. They are one of those creatures that do not know the concept of loyalty as they will choose any side that is beneficial for them. The employment of Dementors is also linked to the inhumane punishment criminals would get, where the convicts’ souls and happiness will be sucked out of them until they pass away.

5 Would Rather Tell Lies Than The Truth

A Propaganda Machine

Despite numerous significant proofs that Lord Voldemort had risen to power during Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix, Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic at that time, refused to believe it. He even went as far as cooperating with the Daily Prophets to shun Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter and labeled them as conspiracists.

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He, with the help of other people who were supporting him, made up lies about them as he felt threatened by Dumbledore’s rise to fame and popularity. He’d rather believe that Dumbledore is after his position as the Minister instead of trying to keep his people safe from threats. Once he was proven wrong, Cornelius Fudge was removed from his position, but the damage was already done.

4 Endangering The Public

Turn A Blind Eye Against Threats

The Ministry of Magic has proven how dangerous the butterfly effect of one bad leader is. Many innocent lives were taken at the height of Lord Voldemort’s rise to power. Many have also gone missing without traces.

Yet the Ministry of Magic stubbornly stood its ground and dismissed the real threats. If the Ministry of Magic acted faster and worked according to its real purpose to keep the community safe, there would have been much fewer victims. One bad apple affects the whole tree as the government neglects its people’s safety in the name of “orderly government.”

3 The Unfair Treatment Of Muggle-Borns And Non-Human Beings

Bigoted Government

Muggle-born witches and wizards are still a part of the magical community, yet the Ministry of Magic seems to fail to understand this concept. Their pure-blood supremacy is very apparent, as they regard other human beings as being below them. Especially in the rise of Lord Voldemort’s power, muggle-borns were accused of being liars and lesser than pure-blooded members of the magical communities.

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Not only that, but the Ministry of Magic also disregards non-human beings such as werewolves, centaurs, merpeople, house elves, and many others to be lowly creatures that do not deserve rights. Furthermore, hybrids were also treated badly by the Ministry, as everything goes back to pure-blood supremacy. Many bills were imposed against these minorities, and these laws further alienated them from society.

2 Wrongful Imprisonments By Unwinnable Trials

Guilty Until Proven Innocent

Oftentimes, the bad leaders in the Ministry of Magic did not do their job properly, yet they wanted to save face by glossing over their mistreatments and wrongdoings. They would rather put innocent people in jail to manipulate the masses into thinking that they’re doing their job properly.

One prominent example can be seen in the wrongful imprisonment of Sirius Black. He had to endure a severe punishment, being confined in Azkaban, guarded by dangerous and violent creatures like Dementors. These unfair trials are severely harmful. They also happen very often, just like how Rubeus Hagrid was sent to Azkaban for “allegedly” opening up the Chamber of Secrets, a claim that was later proven to be false.

1 Allowing The Dark Lord To Seize Power

Paved The Way For Voldemort To Take Over

Not only is the government corrupt and atrocious, but it is also very weak. At the height of Lord Voldemort’s power, the government is proven to be easily manipulated when it falls under the control of evil witches and wizards who answer to the Dark Lord himself. Voldemort and his supporters appointed Pius Thicknesse as their puppet. He was installed in the Ministry after he successfully led the coup for the Death Eaters Coup.

Although Pius Thicknesse was under the Imperius Curse, it is arguably the effect of Cornelius Fudge's incompetence that led the government to go downhill. If only the government acted sooner, the damage would have been much easier to control and repair before it became almost unsalvageable during Voldemort’s reign.

Harry Potter

Created by

J.K. Rowling

Cast

Daniel Radcliffe , Emma Watson , Rupert Grint , Alan Rickman , Michael Gambon , Ralph Fiennes , Maggie Smith , Robbie Coltrane

Where to watch

HBO Max