Hey everyone,
Welcome to another instalment of Harry Potter Theory.
Today, we’ll be discussing exactly why Professor Albus Dumbledore, arguably the greatest Headmaster
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has ever seen, never assumed a much greater
leadership role within the wizarding world as the British Minister for Magic.
As far as legendary wizards go in the world of Harry Potter, Professor Albus Dumbledore
certainly tops the list—especially when considering the number of legendary witches
and wizards who have wielded their power for good and not evil.
For starters, he is likely only one of a few wizards in all of history who was essential
in the downfall of not one, but TWO dark and powerful wizards, both of whom were leading
deadly wizarding conflicts.
His first conquest of good over evil came when he defeated the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald
on the 2nd of November in 1945.
In doing so, Dumbledore not only stopped Grindelwald from continuing to gain power with the intention
of subjugating Muggles around the world, he also effectively ended the global wizarding
war that had erupted thanks to Grindelwald’s prejudiced views.
Then, in the 1990s, Dumbledore was also responsible for identifying the weakness of Voldemort—namely
his multiple Horcruxes—which eventually led to Harry Potter’s ability to defeat
the Dark Lord.
While not many witches or wizards can attest to attaining the same or similar achievements,
Dumbledore defeated those dark wizards while also TEACHING, for Albus was an accomplished
professor at Hogwarts for years before finally becoming one of the school’s most admired
Headmasters.
So, when taking all of Albus Dumbledore’s accolades into consideration, as well as his
propensity for what is just and right, it seems rather odd that a wizard as powerful
and good as Dumbledore, and who could clearly lead an organised establishment, was never
the head of the magical governing body of Britain—the Ministry of Magic.
What IS a Minister for Magic?
For those who may not know, the Minister for Magic is the highest ranking official in the
Ministry of Magic, the governing body of the wizarding world in Britain.
Their role is to regulate and enforce laws for the magical community, while also ensuring
that the existence of the wizarding world is kept secret from Muggles.
But being the Minister is not all wand-waving and incantations - it comes with great responsibility.
They have to act as an intermediary between the wizarding world and the Muggle government,
and manage the various departments and employees of the Ministry.
Being Minister means making crucial decisions that affect the entire wizarding community,
and sometimes even the fate of the entire magical world.
It's a weighty burden to bear, especially when dark wizards like Grindelwald and Voldemort
threaten the very foundations of the wizarding society.
To succeed as Minister for Magic, one must possess not only magical prowess but also
strong leadership skills.
A great Minister needs to be knowledgeable, adaptable, and possess the courage to make
tough choices.
But let's not forget that the Minister is also a representative of the wizarding community,
acting as a voice for the people.
They must listen and address the concerns of their constituents, ensuring that their
rights and safety are protected.
It's a delicate balance between upholding law and order while preserving the individual
freedoms and values cherished by all witches and wizards.
Taking on such a responsibility is no small commitment.
The British Ministry of Magic had long since been around by the time Albus Dumbledore could’ve
been the Minister, with the institution itself having been formally established in 1707.
And while, in the centuries that followed, this position was typically democratically
elected, there have been several occasions in which the role was appointed or offered
to a witch or wizard.
The first instance in which an appointment was given, over an election, was in the case
of the first ever Minister for Magic, Ulick Gamp, which likely had to do with magical
society wanting to get the governing body up and running.
However, appointments like this did occur several more times over the years, specifically
in times of crisis, when it was more prudent to fill the role quickly than it was to hold
a public vote.
In terms of our topic in today’s video—as you may have guessed—the final instance
that we know of in which the role of Minister for Magic was simply offered to an individual
was when the Ministry asked Albus Dumbledore if he would like the position—an offer which
was made and DECLINED by Dumbledore on multiple occasions.
Why Didn’t He Accept?
But why wouldn’t Dumbledore have accepted the offer to become Minister for Magic?
If not the first time round, perhaps the second—or even the third.
What made him reject the role again and again?
What exactly held him back?
Surely he knew the type of difference he could’ve made had he been in that kind of position
of power.
Imagine how different the events of The Order of the Phoenix and The Half-blood Prince may
have been if Dumbledore had been Minister for Magic instead of Cornelius Fudge or Rufus
Scrimgeour…
Well, as the deceased Professor shared with Harry while the two caught up in limbo in
1998, he turned down the position of Minister for Magic repeatedly for one main reason:
he didn’t TRUST himself with that much power…
“… I, meanwhile, was offered the post of Minister for Magic, not once, but several
times.
Naturally, I refused.
I had learned that I was not to be trusted with power.”
"But you'd have been better, much better, than Fudge or Scrimgeour!"
burst out Harry.
"Would I?" asked Dumbledore heavily.
"I am not so sure.
I had proven, as a very young man, that power was my weakness and my temptation.
It is a curious thing, Harry, but perhaps those who are best suited to power are those
who have never sought it.
Those who, like you, have leadership thrust upon them, and take up the mantle because
they must, and find to their own surprise that they wear it well.
I was safer at Hogwarts…”
As many of you will recall, the circumstances that Dumbledore is referring to in this confession
to Harry is that he neglected his responsibilities as his ailing sister’s guardian in pursuit
of uniting the Deathly Hallows, alongside Gellert Grindelwald.
And despite not knowing exactly what led to Ariana’s death, he believed himself accountable
and feared that since he had once been an incredibly ambitious and prideful young wizard
with dreams of glory, he could never again be trusted with the prospect of power.
As there is no fixed term for a Minister for Magic’s time in office, I suppose Dumbledore
feared that if given the power and responsibilities associated with the role, it was highly possible
that he would stumble down a path of no return, becoming a power-hungry monster.
Perhaps he thought that he would become so egotistical that he would simply refuse to
relinquish his authority and doom the British Ministry for Magic to be subjected to his
reign.
But, as it turns out, that really wouldn’t have been possible, as the Ministry is not
a dictatorship, and each Minister is required to hold regular elections, at least once every
seven years.
So, holding this position indefinitely—especially if he were to fall back into the ways of his
prejudiced, ambitious youth—simply would not have been possible.
There are clear checks and balances in place in order to prevent such a thing from happening.
For example, during Perseus Parkinson’s time as Minister for Magic between 1726 and
1733, he tried to make it illegal to marry Muggles, and the wizarding community promptly
voted him out as soon as they could.
There’s also the fact that Dumbledore no longer seemed to CRAVE power—or at least,
his fear of power had substantially subdued his ambitions.
This is the very reason he turned down the opportunity to become the Supreme Mugwump,
leader of the International Confederation of Wizards, in 1932.
He rejected the offer, despite it being offered by a Qilin, a revered magical creature known
for being able to look into a person's soul and find out if that individual is pure of
heart.
Clearly the Qilin thought that Dumbledore wasn’t a threat to magical society in a
position of power…Not to mention the fact that the Qilin selected Dumbledore even though
he wasn’t even a candidate during that election!
In addition to Dumbledore’s fears of power and leadership, there may have been another
reason that he never accepted the Ministry’s offers to become Minister for Magic—the
fact that he ALWAYS had his own agenda.
In addition to running Hogwarts, he was also constantly working out exactly HOW to take
down the wizarding world’s two greatest adversaries of his lifetime: Grindelwald,
and later, Voldemort.
With Gellert Grindelwald, Dumbledore worked with Newt Scamander and a group of witches
and wizards to orchestrate how to defeat the dark wizard.
And then decades later, in 1970, he formed The Order of the Phoenix in order to combat
the evil forces of Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters.
After Voldemort’s first downfall in 1981, Dumbledore continued to plan for what he believed
to be the Dark Lord’s inevitable return, mentoring and training a young Harry Potter
from the time the boy arrived at Hogwarts until Dumbledore’s death in 1997.
Albus also led the revival of The Order of the Phoenix in 1995 after Voldemort had returned.
And trusting no one completely, Dumbledore alone worked out how Voldemort had been able
to return, as well as how he planned to remain immortal.
Upon uncovering how the Dark Lord planned to live forever—thanks to his multiple Horcruxes—Dumbledore
then put together an elaborate plan to ultimately help Harry take down Voldemort for good.
Some of this Albus even supported from beyond the grave, like when his sentient Headmaster
portrait helped Professor Snape by instructing Severus on how to get the Sword of Gryffindor
to Harry in order to move his plan forward.
And as mentioned earlier in this video, Dumbledore even gave Harry some posthumous advice during
Harry’s time in limbo at the other-worldly version of King’s Cross.
What if Dumbledore Accepted
What I want to explore next is..WHAT IF Dumbledore took the ministry up on their offer?
With Dumbledore’s own feelings on the matter aside..How do WE feel he would have handled
things differently?
And how would this change have impacted the story as well as the Greater Wizarding World?
The first thing worth mentioning is that if Dumbledore had accepted the position as MInister,
then Cornelius Fudge would’ve likely never risen to power.
"They wanted Dumbledore fer Minister, o' course, but he'd never leave Hogwarts, so old Cornelius
Fudge got the job.
Bungler if ever there was one.
So he pelts Dumbledore with owls every morning, askin' fer advice."
Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic from 1990-1996, is widely regarded as one of the
worst ministers due to his incompetence and inability to effectively address the challenges
that faced the wizarding community during his tenure.
Some notable examples include…
Fudges inadequate response to Voldemort's resurrection
Fudge refused to believe that Voldemort was back and actively discouraged anyone from
even mentioning his name, insisting that it was a lie spread by Dumbledore and Harry Potter.
His denial of reality ultimately led to the Ministry's underpreparedness to deal with
the death eaters' attacks.
Fudges fear clouded his judgement, and his reluctance to address the truth head-on ultimately
led to his downfall and the undermining of the Ministry's authority, as seen with the
widespread loss of faith in the Ministry by the public.
Inability to maintain law and order
Throughout his tenure, Fudge's Ministry faced corruption and mismanagement.
He struggled with balancing the ultimate authority of the Ministry with the rights of the wizarding
populace, leading to ineffective or downright harmful policies, such as the Educational
Decrees that granted Dolores Umbridge sweeping educational authority.
Lack of leadership skills
When it comes to leadership, Fudge leaves much to be desired.
Throughout his tenure as Minister for Magic, he displayed a remarkable lack of vision,
courage, and decisiveness.
Instead of taking bold and proactive measures to address the rising threat of Lord Voldemort,
Fudge chose to bury his head in the sand, clinging to a façade of normalcy.
He was more concerned with maintaining his own reputation than with protecting the wizarding
community.
Fudge's leadership style was characterized by indecisiveness and a constant need for
validation.
He relied heavily on Dumbledore's advice but was often reluctant to follow it, preferring
to downplay the seriousness of the situation rather than confront it head-on.
This lack of conviction and refusal to make tough decisions ultimately weakened the Ministry's
ability to effectively counter Voldemort's influence and protect its citizens.
Prejudice & Bigotry
Throughout the series, Fudge's favoritism towards pure-blood wizards is evident.
Pure-blood supremacy was a prevailing ideology in the wizarding community, and Fudge's mindset
seemed to align with this discriminatory belief.
He prioritized the interests and privileges of pure-blood families while neglecting and
marginalizing those from different backgrounds and blood statuses.
"You are blinded by the love of the office you hold, Cornelius!
You place too much importance, and you always have done, on the so-called purity of blood!
You fail to recognise that it matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to
be!"
Overall, Cornelius Fudge's tenure as Minister for Magic was marked by inadequate leadership
and an inability to handle the challenges facing the wizarding community, leading to
negative consequences for both the Ministry and the populace it was meant to serve.
Under Dumbledore’s rule, I think it’s unlikely that any of these things would have
happened.
I suppose you could argue that Fudge operated largely on the advice of Dumbledore- but in
truth, Fudge never really listened to him.
We've all had those friends who come to us for advice but never seem to actually follow
it, and it turns out that Fudge was no different.
Throughout the books, we see Fudge seeking out Dumbledore's counsel on numerous occasions,
especially in times of crisis.
However, despite Dumbledore's sage advice and warnings, Fudge often chose to ignore
it, preferring instead to cling to his own misguided beliefs and ideals.
And in a world where Fudges mark on the Ministry is wiped clean, replaced instead with Dumbledore’s
reign of power, I think that things would have been VERY different.
I’m not going to dive too heavily in to the minutiae of this topic, but here are some
of the larger takeaways…
Voldemort's Return
The big one: If Dumbledore had been Minister, he would have publicized the warnings about
Voldemort's return right from the start.
This would have led to better preparedness in the wizarding world and a more proactive
approach in combating the Dark Lord's influence, potentially preventing the gradual takeover
of the Ministry and the subsequent events in the later books.
Order of the Phoenix
With Dumbledore as Minister, he would have had more authority and resources at his disposal
to form a strong and united Order of the Phoenix.
This would have provided a more coordinated resistance against Voldemort and his Death
Eaters, giving Harry and his allies a better chance in their fight against the dark forces.
Blood Status Equality
Dumbledore, known for his belief in equality, would have worked towards dismantling the
pure-blood supremacy ideology ingrained within the wizarding community.
His leadership might have brought about measures to promote inclusivity and equality among
wizards, regardless of their blood status.
Ministry Transparency
Dumbledore's leadership may have promoted greater transparency within the Ministry,
reducing corruption, and ensuring accountability.
This would have established a stronger trust between the Ministry and the wizarding community
and prevented unwarranted secrecy and cover-ups.
Harry Potter and the Prophecy
Another big one…Without Dumbledore around to give him guidance, would Harry still have
fulfilled Sybil Trelawney’s Prophecy and defeated Voldemort?
Indeed, if Dumbledore had been Minister for Magic instead of Headmaster at Hogwarts, it's
possible that Harry's journey may have been very different.
However, It's also possible that Dumbledore's heightened authority may have led to a more
structured and strategic approach to dealing with Voldemort's threat, potentially resulting
in Harry having a more defined and specific role in defeating him.
That being said, it's also important to consider the role of free will and personal agency
in Harry's journey.
Even if Dumbledore had been guiding Harry more directly, it's likely that Harry's own
choices and actions would still have played a significant role in defeating Voldemort.
In the end it was Harry's own bravery, ingenuity, and willingness to sacrifice himself that
ultimately led to the destruction of Voldemort's Horcruxes and his eventual defeat.
As for the impact on the prophecy, Dumbledore's absence as Headmaster may have changed the
circumstances around its interpretation, but it's unlikely that it would have completely
altered its outcome.
As I mentioned above, in the end, Harry's success was largely due to his own actions,
resilience, and bravery, and his destiny as "the chosen one" was only a small part of
the larger story of his growth and development as a wizard and a person.
And with that last and most important point established, I’m going to stop myself.
With Dumbledore as Minister instead of Headmaster, there are almost too many changes to count.
That’s why I’m going to ask you guys.
What do you think?
What would have changed in a world with Dumbledore as Minister?
Would it have prospered in a way unlike we’ve ever seen before?
Or would Dumbledore’s thirst for power re-emerge in the worst way possible.
Let me know down in the comments below
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Until next time…remember…
"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live."