Erm, Harry hated the Dursleys because they were terrible to him. In fact, in the last book he has the Dursley's put in witness protection despite the years of child abuse (although this may have been necessary to keep Voldemort from extracting valuable biographical information, such as that Harry is deathly allergic to peanuts).
I think JK Rowling was illustrating that inequality and fascism exist. The most interesting and recognizable form of inequality is probably racial inequality. The most obvious history lesson about fascism is Hitler and WW2. So she puts them through the metaphor mill and it becomes a story about wizards and humans. Fantasy stories often trade on archetypes.
And the story is absolutely socioeconomic, about the tensions between the wealthy and the poor, the educated and the uneducated. Hermione is lucky to have been born inquisitive and with magic. There is nothing in the books to imply that we should not value those who are neither.
Now if you REALLY wanted to get the world view Harry Potter has correct, you'd rewrite it so that the muggles are fully aware of the wizarding world, but consider the wizard's wholesale domination over them a proper thing, to be encouraged even. The wizards may take all the property, live in the nicest places, eat and wear the nicest things, etc. and regard humans as lesser things, as cogs in the wheels that make wizarding life more comfortable, but think about all the great benefits that trickle down. Wizarding health care is excellent should they deign to grant it to you. They invent all sorts of cool and convenient things. And besides, some muggles are born with magic, and if they work hard enough to develop their talents, they might some day ascend to the wizarding class...
On Harry Potter and the Incredibly Conservative Aristocratic Children's Club
@MrTeacup
Erm, Harry hated the Dursleys because they were terrible to him. In fact, in the last book he has the Dursley's put in witness protection despite the years of child abuse (although this may have been necessary to keep Voldemort from extracting valuable biographical information, such as that Harry is deathly allergic to peanuts).
I think JK Rowling was illustrating that inequality and fascism exist. The most interesting and recognizable form of inequality is probably racial inequality. The most obvious history lesson about fascism is Hitler and WW2. So she puts them through the metaphor mill and it becomes a story about wizards and humans. Fantasy stories often trade on archetypes.
And the story is absolutely socioeconomic, about the tensions between the wealthy and the poor, the educated and the uneducated. Hermione is lucky to have been born inquisitive and with magic. There is nothing in the books to imply that we should not value those who are neither.
Now if you REALLY wanted to get the world view Harry Potter has correct, you'd rewrite it so that the muggles are fully aware of the wizarding world, but consider the wizard's wholesale domination over them a proper thing, to be encouraged even. The wizards may take all the property, live in the nicest places, eat and wear the nicest things, etc. and regard humans as lesser things, as cogs in the wheels that make wizarding life more comfortable, but think about all the great benefits that trickle down. Wizarding health care is excellent should they deign to grant it to you. They invent all sorts of cool and convenient things. And besides, some muggles are born with magic, and if they work hard enough to develop their talents, they might some day ascend to the wizarding class...