I know about all those "Lords" and "Ancient and Noble Houses" fanfics and all that crap, but how do you REALLY think the Wizengamot is structured? Is it all hereditary seats with Lords like in every fanfic, or is it akin to the British Parliament with an elected portion and a hereditary portion? Or better yet, is it just an overglorified court?

Can't wait to hear your thoughts!

 

Well from what we can tell, there's no evidence to suggest that the Wizengamot is even partially hereditary. Appointments don't appear to be indefinite, either, going by the terms served by Harry's ancestors.

 

JKR's write-up of the Potter family makes it seem like they're elected. Furthermore, I've always believed that they were elected as well. If it were hereditary Lucius would not have been waiting outside the courtroom in OOTP.

My headcanon is that the MOM, his under Secretary(s), the Heads of the seven main departments, and a few lower departments automatically get seats. Maybe the others are elected, but must be approved by 2/3 of the aforementioned members and the Chief Warlock?

 

My position on the Wizengamot is that its a combination of elected members, ministry members and 'life peers'

 

Like others have said I favour election, barring automatic appointments via top positions in the Ministry. I also like the idea of some elder positions being longstanding(almost permanent, like the Supreme Court iirc). Those who have long served the ministry or experts in a field. Creating something of a old traditionalist block, but each one voting as they individually see fit and not following the line of a party, coalition, Minister, or Chief Warlock. Perhaps initially requiring both Minister and Chief Warlock to agree before it going to a vote, and a very high percentage for confirmation.

As you can see I haven't worked out the nitty gritty of the Wizengamot, but, if it interests you, my fanon is that it used to be hereditary. We know the Wizengamot and Wizards Council were active and then the Wizards Council gave over to the Ministry of Magic due to the Statute of Secrecy. My idea, which has no proof nor specific canon counter I believe, is that the Weasleys somehow rigged it so that during this process the pure-bloods all lost their hereditary powerful positions (or particular regional appointments, which works out the same). I haven't worked it through, but think of it like parliament hijinks and the vote was cast without full membership.
-Edit- Perhaps the Wizards Council elected the Wizengamot, which seems likely, so I think I would change it to the Wizards Council being hereditary/old blood club- the Wizengamot by default being the same. So when the switch over happened the Wizards Council was supposed to retain their hereditary positions, now as a (large) part of the reformed Wizengamot, only they got bamboozled. -Done Edit-
Afterwards many families declined who relied on their positions for preeminence and money (whether legitimate or kickbacks and bribes, or both). The Weasleys themselves while still being completely pure were very unpopular by even most centrists, as well as being impoverished, and were labelled blood-traitors (helping explain why marrying into their family would get you disowned, but not Prewitts, Potters, Longbottoms, and so on).

As an additional note the other idea is that the old Pure-blood families, primarily Slytherin's, were the ones to create the Wizards Council in the first place. This being sometime after the founders age, in the wake of the founders dying. So with Slytherin being run out, Hogsmeade having its mayor, and the Hogwarts Headmaster holding the reigns, they created a space for themselves to exert power.

I won't go into more, but if you care to there is a fairly interesting notes section of a large Essay on the Wizengamot. It actually has a ten part section before this on a possible patron system in the wizarding world. It was written before all the books were released so it is outdated, but still not too far off on some guesses and still interesting. At least to me. http://pharnabazus.livejournal.com/3265.html#cutid1

 

I'd like to think that it would be balanced, but looking at some of the things that happen in the series... Yeah.

My impression was a mix of hereditary, and "bought" with bribes, and with a large portion of the members having been there long enough that they like the power, and lack the common sense of the average penguin. Why else did none of them question so much that Dumbledore did, accept that Fudge was calling the whole lot of them in for underage magic, etc? There's not a ton of details, but my impression was that whatever the composition it's widely corrupt to go along with the way the Ministry plays.