The wizarding world of Harry Potter is full of all kinds of mysterious creatures and beings, and they all seem to coexist and intermingle with wizards and witches in a variety of different ways. One of the most integral parts of wizarding society is goblins, a kind of humanoid magical creature that share a lot of commonalities with wizards along with some very distinct differences.
Goblins are a race or species of magical creatures that both exist within the wizarding world and who have a society and culture of their own. They're a very secretive people and tend to be rightfully mistrustful of wizards. Because they're so secretive there are very few things that are openly known about them, but the Harry Potter books and films are still chock full of easy to miss little details and chunks of mythology that offer a glimpse into the intriguing world of this magical race.
The Relationship Between Goblins And Wizards Is Tense
Within the wizarding world it would seem that witches and wizards have been able to integrate goblins into their society comfortably enough, and they've become integrated to the point that wizarding society would have a difficult time functioning without them. However, the peace is not so comfortable beneath the surface.
The differences between goblin culture and wizard culture is vast, and those discrepancies often cause tension between the two species. Both wizards and goblins seem to use each other in as many ways as they can, but often times they don't appreciate being used, and there is a lack of respect on both ends of the spectrum.
They're Extremely Intelligent
Goblins may coexist with wizards in the magical world, but they're not integrated into society in the way they probably should be. Wizards and witches generally show a lack of respect towards goblins, and that lack of respect is completely unwarranted.
Although they're clearly different from the average witch, wizard, or human, goblins are a humanoid species who's intelligence and abilities match or even exceed the average human. Goblins consistently demonstrate their own cleverness and cunning despite the fact that most wizards don't seem to acknowledge it, and although their treatment is unfair it seems like the goblin race has found ways to exploit even that to their advantage.
They're Excellent Metal Smiths
The goblin world can be a very secretive and mysterious culture in a lot of ways, intentionally on the part of the goblins. Probably the most important aspect of that secrecy is their skills with metalworking. Goblins are renowned throughout the wizarding world as the most skilled metalsmiths in existence, and goblins take an enormous amount of pride in goblin-worked metals.
Wizards also take a lot of pride in being the owner of goblin created metal works, and goblin metal products are the most valued metalworks in the wizarding world whether they are weapons, jewelry, or anything in between.
And Their Metalworking Skills Are Why They Control The Money
Surely even the most casual Harry Potter fan would have noticed that wizard money and goblins seem to be inextricably linked. And that's not a coincidence. The skills of goblins are absolutely unparalleled when it comes to working with any kind of metal, so unsurprisingly the wizard world has enlisted goblins to care for as much of their metalworking needs as possible.
This, of course, includes their money. Wizarding currency consists of knuts, sickles, and galleons, which are made out of bronze, silver, and gold respectively. These coins are literally created by the goblins themselves, so they essentially control all wizarding currency.
They Can Do Magic Without Wands
One of the more impressive things about goblins is their magical abilities. Unlike your average witch or wizard, goblins can actually do significant forms of magic without wands. Witches and wizards do have some magical abilities that they can express without their wands, but a wand allows them to channel their energy in a way that allows them to do complex spells and charms.
Unfortunately, the wizarding world seems to find their abilities to be a threat, because even though goblins could also use wands for their magic the wizards have made it illegal for goblins to possess wands, basically just forcing them to make do with what they have naturally.
They're Looked Down On In The Wizard World
When it comes to goblins in the Harry Potter series they're a pretty obvious symbol of the many different groups of people who have been oppressed and subjugated by others who were more powerful throughout the course of history.
The goblins in the wizarding world are equal to wizards and witches intellectually as well as magically, and although they form an integral part of the wizarding society they're not fully accepted into that society or given the kind of respect that they deserve as equals. Goblins clearly suffer due to the prejudices of the wizards, but the wizards also suffer consequences for underestimating and misunderstanding the goblins.
They Alone Can Control Gringotts
Gringott's Wizarding Bank is really the only option for banking in the wizarding world, but it is a bank that was created by and is owned and operated by goblins. There appears to be the occasional witch or wizard who works at the bank as well, but the wizarding world knows that it's only the goblins who truly hold all the power.
Gringotts is renowned for being one of the safest and most secure places in the world, as it's under the protection of incalculable curses and protections to ward off any unwanted guests. The bank was created by a goblin named Gringott in 1474 and has been run by the goblin community ever since.
They Essentially Control The Wizard Economy
Gringott's Bank is the hub of wizard currency and money, and it's owned and operated by goblins. Which essentially means that goblins are in control of the economy for the entire wizarding world. Goblins are also very well known for their skills with money and finances, which seems to be a particular weakness for a lot of witches and wizards, so both the goblins and wizards seem to be somewhat comfortable with this arrangement.
Considering how savvy the goblins truly are they surely love having that amount of control and power over the wizarding world, and the wizards who underestimate them don't seem to understand how much power they truly wield.
They Have A Rebellious Spirit
The current state of goblin and wizard relations is tense but stable. However, that hasn't always been, and may not always be, the case. Goblins have been incorporated deeply into wizard society but have still been consistently treated as second class citizens and are looked down upon by many witches and wizards in the wizarding world.
However, the goblins are an intelligent and powerful species who have always been uneasy with their station in the wizarding world. Because of this, there have been multiple goblin uprisings. In the UK alone there have been a string of goblin rebellions, one taking place in the 1600s and two others in the 1700s.
Their Ideas Of Ownership Differ From The Wizarding World
Although goblins and wizards have learned coexist and form their own society together there are still a lot of significant differences between wizard culture and goblin culture. One of the most notable differences is their different interpretation of ownership.
Wizards believe that once a person has purchased something then it's theirs forever, and they can choose to pass it on to whomever they want, and so on and so forth down the line forever. On the other hand, goblins view ownership as something that inherently belongs to whomever made something, and that ownership reverts back to the maker once the new owner is gone.