The Magocracy: Difference between revisions
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[[File:Magocracy.jpg|link=Harry Potter|right]]
A society ruled by wizards. Wizard'''s''', plural, that
Can be good, bad, or indifferent. Sometimes overlaps with [[Witch Species]]; if everyone can cast spells, the Magocracy is usually depicted as good or indifferent. If the wizards rule over a population of [[Muggles]], on the other hand, they are more likely to be evil. A Magocracy can also overlap with a [[Magical Society]], although it's quite possible to have a Magocracy which is more loosely organised than that.
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== Film ==
* The Empire in the ''[[Star Wars]]'' trilogy, and various other Sith states in the [[Expanded Universe]]. In the [[Expanded Universe]], it's implied that the Emperor was shooting for being the immortal god-emperor of a magotheocratic empire. The Galactic Republic, on the other hand, is [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|a republic]], with the Jedi Council playing an advisory and military
** In most stories, the Jedi are essentially an [[NGO Superpower]]. Whether and to what extent they are actually answerable to the Republic (or it to them) is essentially [[Depending on the Writer]].
** In the upcoming [[Star Wars: The Old Republic]], we'll get to see the ancient predecessor to Palpatine's Empire. It controlled half the known galaxy, was run by many Sith, including a Dark Council, and a 1000+ year old [[Man Behind the Man]] [[Chessmaster]] Sith Emperor.
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== Literature ==
* [[Patricia C. Wrede]]'s books ''Mairelon the Magician'' and ''Magician's Ward'' are set in a world where magic does exist, and Wizards are so influential that the government and society bows to them. Specifically British Parliment had to move out of its building because the Wizards already worked in it, and Wizards are automatically considered social equals of any level in society. It's never implied that the King of Britain is a wizard, but the Russian royalty certainly is.
* The Ministry of Magic in ''[[Harry Potter]]'', which only rules over other magic-users. Muggles are explicitly outside their jurisdiction, and the Minister of Magic consults with the U.K.'s Prime Minister on matters which affect
** However, {{spoiler|Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindewald}} once wanted the other kind of Magocracy: wizards ruling over [[Muggles]]. So does Voldemort, hence the conflict in the series.
* The wizards of Unseen University set up a magical dictatorship in the [[Discworld]] novel ''Sourcery''. The results are not pretty. No one seems surprised, as any point in history wizards have been in power rather than being coddled and overfed to (mostly) harmless old codgers tends to result in problems. The only reason it seems to not happen anymore is a social paradigm shift rather than recent wizards being any nicer.
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* The nobility in ''[[Zero no Tsukaima]]'' are all mages.
* Most countries in ''[[Doctrine of Labyrinths]]'' seem to be run this way, ranging from more or less benevolent to downright oppressive. Melusine in particular is jointly ruled by an annemer (nonwizard) Lord Protector and the Curia, a council of the most influential wizards.
* Inverted in ''[[Warbreaker]]''
* The elves in the ''Tinker'' Series by [[Wen Spencer]] have a strict caste system. At the top are the Doma, who, due to a genetic quirk, are capable of using magic from a distance. {{spoiler|''Violently'' subverted in the fact that the Sheska, the Doma's personal guards and most elite warrior caste, have the right and duty to kill anyone, especially any Doma, who acts contrary to the good of the society/in a dishonorable fashion. They don't study magic beyond what they need to make it work.}}
* Katherine Kurtz's ''[[Deryni]]'' series features a number of Deryni royal families - in fact most royal families seem to have some Deryni blood. The Kingdom of Torenth is apparently a magocracy and the Muggle population doesn't seem to have a problem with it. On the other hand the Kingdom of Gwynedd is a ''former'' magocracy and the Muggles had a ''huge'' problem with it.
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== Tabletop Games ==
* Very common in ''[[Dungeons and Dragons]]''
** Widespread in the [[Forgotten Realms]]: [http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Netheril Netheril] was full of [[Magitek]], inhumanly arrogant, but mostly non-evil (if not ''good'') Archwizards with magical longevity ruled over
** Mystara also had the Principalities of Glantri, a smaller Magocracy with capital like Venice, diverse subdomains like Switzerland, and great hostility to clerics. Glantri and Alphatia both have magic-users outranking non-magicians, though Alphatia honors clerics as well as arcane magicians.
*** Both Glantri and Alphatia have their faults. The former is scornful of divine casters and not all that bad on [[Muggles]]; the latter is respectful of divine casters and condescending-to-malicious to [[Muggles]], depending on where you are. Herath also qualifies as a Magocracy {{spoiler|if you don't require that the ruling mages be humanoids}}.
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*** Of course, all the aforementioned events are heavily shrouded in myth, and its unclear what is genuine fact and what is extrapolation or simple attempts to defame old enemies. The slavery and blood magic are the only issues with historical evidence. (And the Tevinters still do both of those things.)
**** The Legacy DLC actually reveals that {{spoiler|the first darkspawn were actually corrupted Magister Lords. However, it's implied that they didn't corrupt Heaven -- "Heaven" corrupted ''them''}}.
*** Fenris also points out that Tevinter isn't friendly to most Magi either. Only a few Magisters enjoy any power and
* The Amurites in the ''[[Fall From Heaven]]'' mod.
* Though [[Big Bad|Ganon]] of ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]'' is typically shown to be a [[Sorcerous Overlord]] ruling by himself over mindless monsters and conquered Hylians, he occasionally has a cadre of high-ranking sorcerers at his side -- [[Ocarina of Time|Twinrova]], [[The Legend of Zelda Oracle Games|Onox and Veran]], among others.
* The Shapers of the ''[[Geneforge]]'' series. They pretty much rule the world with an iron fist; they come down very hard on anyone who tries to learn Shaping (using [[Mana|essence]] to create and alter new forms of life) without their permission, or any beings created by Shaping that are less than fully subservient. Even "conventional" mages generally find their studies hampered by the Shapers and their restrictions on magic. Unsurprisingly, more than a few Muggles and intelligent creations have [[Turned Against Their Masters]].
** The Shapers have good cause to be repressive, however. Unrestricted Shaping can lead to catastrophe in dozens of different ways: disease, ecosystem destruction, rogue creations breeding, and individual Shapers going mad with power to name a few.
** Also note that it's pretty much a toss-up whether they're a magocracy or a society of [[Emperor Scientist
* ''[[Dark Souls]]'' has the city state of Vinheim, which is run by the [[Wizarding School]] call the Dragon College. You don't get to personally go though, but you do meet several characters from the area.
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** This is implied however to be caused by the fire nation kidnapping/killing the benders there due to a lack of defenses compared to the northern tribe.
** Perhaps the reason the Air Nomads were such an egalitarian society was because they were ''all'' benders, so there was no ruling class.
* In the [[Sequel Series]] ''[[The Legend of Korra]]'', benders still retain a strong influence over society. Non-benders have become influential enough that they are starting to resent
{{reflist}}
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