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harry potter - Why exactly do the Death Eaters serve Lord Voldemort?


The impression that I got from the Harry Potter films was that if Lord Voldemort was successful, most of the world was going to suffer greatly. Basically everyone would serve Voldemort as slaves or die.


So what's the point of serving someone who's probably going to ultimately end up betraying and/or enslaving you?


I know the Death Eaters hated Muggles, but is that really enough to justify tearing down Wizard society?


Why exactly do the Death Eaters serve Lord Voldemort? Fear?


Is the post-Voldemort world not that bad?


(I for one welcome our new Death Eater overlords)



Answer



Same reason people followed every charismatic and/or powerful evil monster - from Hitler to Stalin to Saddam, to name just a few recent examples.



Most of which reasons boil down to basic game theory and human nature.


The main possible reasons (or their combinations) being:




  • They lust for real power. Being "enslaved" by Voldie while lording it over pretty much everyone else doesn't sound like a bad deal to a LOT of people. The kinds that make the best lieutenants. See Malfoys.




  • They are just generally evil, and will gladly follow someone who enables their evil inclinations to be expressed. See Crabb/Goyle types for small-time kind of example, or Dolores Umbridge for larger. Or Malfoys again (or better yet the psychopath/sociopath Lestrange).





  • They agree with Dark Helmet's axiom that "Evil will always triumph because Good is… DUMB". And they want to be on the winning side.




  • They (despite never having seen Spaceballs) make a rational assumption that Voldemort will win based on his power/history. And they want to be on the winning side.




  • They agree with Death Eaters/Voldemort's politics (wizards should rule over Muggles, stronger wizards should rule over weaker ones). See Malfoys. But MANY MANY would agree (think how many people bought into Hitler's Master Race idea, both within and outside of Germany, and that was given a TOTAL absence of a proof, as opposed to having magical powers vs. not). Blood purity was a big thing in Wizarding world, both in the past (elaborated a lot on Pottermore) and in the present (Fudge, Umbridge etc...)




  • They are weak personalities easily swayed by a crowd or a strong charismatic leader (which Tom Riddle most certainly was). See Peter Pettigrew/Wormtail.





  • The Enemy of my Enemy factor - someone hates a specific Muggle/wizard, and Death Eaters provide both a means of revenge AND moral support. See Snape vs. James Potter.




  • The friendship/other relationship factor. Your family belongs to Death Eaters or your best friend is, and you follow. See many Slytherins (e.g. Crabb, Goyle, Draco).




  • They are afraid of Voldemort. Same reason MANY MANY people joined Communist party or Nazis or the gangs - if you don't, you will be hurt for not doing so. Likely example is Karkaroff.





  • Most are not smart enough to realize that any possible payoff from being a Death Eater is counteracted by the problems which Mark raised. See real life example of any American/Western leftie "intellectuals" who worshipped Stalin (hint - the same kind most of which would get put up to a wall and shot if they lived in Soviet Russia); or the the dumbhead Santana who wears Che Guevara t-shirt, ignoring the fact that Che hated Rock, never mind was a mass-murdering sociopath).




  • For many, being "enslaved" by Voldemort isn't that much of a deal - in reality they are just low level followers of a faction/army and the alternative is a low paying wizard job/unemployment/unfulfilling life.




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