Social Issues In Harry Potter

Perhaps one of the most illustrious authors of modern day, JK Rowling has woven a land of awe inspiring magic and complex storytelling in her Harry Potter series. Rowling uses this highly influential series to subtly educate her readers on problems faced in modern society and their far reaching consequences. Some particular political, social, and economical subtext exhibited in the Harry Potter series deals with racism, discrimination, and abuse of power by the government and various authority figures.

One facet of social issues tackled throughout the series is the description of underlying prejudice, bigotry, and discrimination that exists in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Rowling creates a direct parallel between the discrimination

shown to “muggle borns” and “halfbloods”, witches and wizards who have muggle (non-magical) blood, and everyday racism in the modern world. During the madness that erupts in the seventh and final book of the series, the Ministry of Magic, the magical government body in the UK, is shaped into an oppressive regime that creates a discriminatory registry of muggle borns and hires bounty hunters, called snatchers, to catch muggle borns who refuse to comply. Muggle borns who are brought before the courts are sentenced to unfair sentences for crimes they either never committed or are things completely out of their control; several dying from their harsh sentence. While the government was being controlled by the vile antagonist Lord Voldemort, these kinds of inhuman laws could only have been made because of the underlying prejudices that already existed in the magical community. In the same way that Rowling describes the devastating effects of racism in the wizarding world, she subtly plants the idea that racism affects us in the real world as well, and we should strive for good before a xenophobic megalomaniac takes advantage. (Dash).
Enforcing these unjust prejudices and discriminatory practices is the idea of social class and social hierarchy. Just as it is prevalent in the non-fiction world, those in the Wizarding World who have more money, more renown, and more “pure” blood are the ones who hoard the most power in the government and society at large. Like the billionaires on the Forbes List, these high society wizards have nothing to gain by promoting social equality, so instead of promoting the common good they sneer at those who dare to wear handy-down robes and have a finite budget. Rowling herself discusses this particular topic, saying “People like to think themselves superior and that if they can pride themselves in nothing else they can pride themselves on perceived purity” ( Dash). In fact, some families value their blood lines to such a degree that they have no qualms about ousting any family member that attempts to rebel. One specific example of this happened within the “ancient and noble House of Black”. Two members, Sirius and Andromeda Black, rejected their family’s outdated ideals and decided to live their own lives; Sirius ran away to accomplish this, and Andromeda married a muggle born, the ultimate betrayal for a blood purist family. By portraying the fanaticism of a select few wizarding families, Rowling is also hinting at the behavior exhibited by the lords and ladies of the UK; people whose only goals in life are to get richer and marry closer to the crown. (Gallardo).
Another weighty issue the novels tackle is what can happen when those in charge misuse and abuse the powers and privileges given to them.

Anyone who has read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix loathe and detests the one character that may be worse than He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, Dolores Umbridge. Umbridge was a cruel, power hungry woman disguised in sharp, pink suits and personal items covered in kitten memorabilia. She has an unwavering belief in the Ministry and its policies, but ,in her twisted mind, her atrocious acts, such as torturing Harry Potter for information, was justified by the feelings of the Ministry. It would be one thing if she was another follower of Lord Voldemort, someone who can be quickly written off as just another bad guy, but she never swore allegiance to him, which makes her that much more despicable because she was evil on her own volition. (Debling). Dolores Umbridge blatantly abuses her power in the legislative government to pass discriminatory measures, such as anti-werewolf legislation that made it next to impossible for were wolves to find work, and pathways for her to make a power grab, when during her short-lived term as High Inquisitor of Hogwarts she tried to usurp the position of Headmaster from Albus Dumbledore.

(Gallardo).
JK Rowling uses all seven books in her series Harry Potter to subtly entwine social and political subtext into children’s vocabularies and prepare them for the moral challenges they will face in the adult world. She teaches children how good and evil will most likely show itself in shades of gray instead of black and white, and it takes careful thinking to decide on your opinions. She highlights how it is more important to love, and to be loved in return, than obtain vast riches and lofty titles. However, the most important lesson Rowling may be trying desperately to impress upon the reader is that posses the ability to change the world just as Harry did; they can flock to rallies, vote for the right candidates, and fight for what they believe in. If we wish to live in a world that transcends inequality and cruelty, we must be the change we wish to see in the world.