[Dune] – Thesis and Quotes from Dune and Frank Herbert – Power and Awareness

Raise Alert of the Übermensch, the Overman, the Kwisatz Haderach

Friderich Nietzsche’s ‘Thus Spke Zrathustra’ introduced the concept of a Übermensch, the Overman which is a concept of a powerful dominative figure in every aspect that has the ‘quality’ and ‘capability’ to reign over people.

Overmans over the history have inspired motivated people but have also led to mass destruction as well. The Kwisatz Haderach is an overwhelming figure that shall lead humanity like the Overman.

 

 

Frank Herbert’s Dune isn’t about the process of the rise and the greatness of the Kwistaz Haderach rather it is to depict the consequences, the frenzy, chaos and the tragedy when blind worship and obedience of dominant figure could cause.

The Overman as charming, charismatic as they are, they must be carefully examined. Overman could lead to prosperity or to the ultimate down fall.

 

 

Grave this on your memory, lad: A world is supported by four things..." she held up four big-knuckled fingers. "...the learning of the wise, the justice of the great, the prayers of the righteous and the valor of the brave. But all of these things are as nothing..." She closed her fingers into a fist. "...without a ruler who knows the art of ruling. Make that the science of your tradition.

 

 

“I wrote the Dune series because I had this idea that charismatic leaders ought to come with a warning label on their forehead: "May be dangerous to your health." One of the most dangerous presidents we had in this century was John Kennedy because people said, "Yes Sir Mr. Charismatic Leader what do we do next?" and we wound up in Vietnam. And I think probably the most valuable president of this century was Richard Nixon. Because he taught us to distrust government and he did it by example.”

Frank Herbert –

 

 

Separation of Powers is Mandatory – Who could check the Inspector?

In the same perspective of checking and being alert of the Overman, Dune depicts the necessity of the Separation of Powers. Separation of Powers is the most important principle for democracy.

The separation of Judiciary, Administration and Legislation and the balance by each branch checking each other forms the foundation of democracy in real life. In the Dune Universe, despite the balance between the High Council of the Landsraad, Imperial order, major and minor houses of the Landsraad, once the Corrino Imperium allies with House Harkonnen, House Atreides is wiped out.

 

 

However, still the emperor is concerned of Landsraad. However once Paul Atreides and later Leto Atreides Ⅱ reigns as emperor with the capabilities as Kwistaz Haderach, no power is able to halt the tyranny of the Atreides Empire.

No one could inspect the inspector and Dune asserts the importance of the balance between powers and the consequences of one’s dominance. The CHOAM (commerce and merchandising) and the Spacing Guild(space travel) also became strong political organization founded from the monopoly of each of their specialty. Without Separation of Powers, dominance would morph into an even more rigid and transcendent form.

 

 

“Governments, if they endure, always tend increasingly toward aristocratic forms. No government in history has been known to evade this pattern. And as the aristocracy develops, government tends more and more to act exclusively in the interests of the ruling class - whether that class be hereditary royalty, oligarchs of financial empires, or entrenched bureaucracy.

- Politics as Repeat Phenomenon: Bene Gesserit Training Manual.”

 

 

“Constitutions become the ultimate tyranny," "They’re organized power on such a scale as to be overwhelming. The constitution is social power mobilized and it has no conscience. It can crush the highest and the lowest, removing all dignity and individuality. It has an unstable balance point and no limitations.”

Paul Atreides –

 

 

Power is both toxic and attractive.

Frank Herbert stated that Glossu Rabban and Feyd-Rautha wouldn’t have been such cruel and sadistic figures if it wasn’t for Baron Vladimir Harkonnen. Vladimir Harkonnen with black mail, assassination, slavery, and other vicious inhumane methods rose to power.

Despite these foul methods, Vladimir Harkonnen brought results and House Harkonnen quickly became a major house in the Landsrrad from a minor house. Power attracted the foul Vladimir Harkonnen and the power that Vladimir Harkonnne corrupted the people of Giedi Prime.

 

 

The rise of Paul Maud’Dib Usul Atreides led to the intergalactic Muad’ Dib Jihad killing billions. Ultimately, stagnation of human development and dependency on Leto Atreides Ⅱ’s monarchy led to the Famine Times which scarified trillions (Which was a consequence Leto Atreides Ⅱ foresaw for humans to prosper throughout the galaxy).

The Kwisatz Haderach was worshipped as it was supposed to lead humanity to prosperity. The leadership, intimacy, politics and power that the Kwisatz Haderach holds surely attracted people but ultimately what were the consequences?

 

 

In Harry Potter, Lord Voldemort mentioned that his followers had their own taste and expectations from his power. People who were weak and seeked protection under his power, those who wanted fame, people merely sadistic, people with self-doubt, all these easily corruptible wizards and witches gathered under Lord Voldemort.

Frank Herbert successfully fascinates the audience into the charms and expectations of the Kwisatz Haderach in the early phases of Dune. Through this he wanted to warn event the audience with an objective perspective could be easily attracted by power. In his novel, he shows how the easily corruptible minds of humans could lead to such mad fanaticism, and how cruel and vicious humans could deteriorate in pursuit of power.

 

 

“All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it is magnetic to the corrupt-able. Such people tend to become drunk on violence, a condition to which they are quickly addicted.”

 

 

“Absolute power does not corrupt absolutely; absolute power attracts the corruptible.”

 

“Most civilization is based on cowardice. It's so easy to civilize by teaching cowardice. You water down the standards which would lead to bravery. You restrain the will. You regulate the appetites. You fence in the horizons. You make a law for every movement. You deny the existence of chaos. You teach even the children to breathe slowly. You tame.”

-Paul Atreides

 

 

When religion and politics travel in the same cart, the riders believe nothing can stand in their way. Their movements become headlong - faster and faster and faster. They put aside all thoughts of obstacles and forget the precipice does not show itself to the man in a blind rush until it's too late.

 

 

 

Power, whether good or evil, inevitably leads to consequences. Power has no morals.

Frank Herbert answers that ‘Power has no morality’ through Dune. No matter how just, sacred or the good of the purpose, power only inevitably produces consequences. House Atreides also seeks power to resist the surrounding enemies and protect themselves.

 

 

The emperor Shadam Corrino Ⅳ admired but eventually became jealous of Duke Leto Atreides and plots destruction. The Bene Gesserit agrees to this plot as House Atreides is spinning out of control in pursuit of their Kwisatz Haderach Project whose purpose is to lead humanity to prosperity. House Harkonnen despite their vicious and cruel tyranny receives thunderous applause from their home planet Giedi Prime.

 

 

House Atreides in seek of soft power ends up in almost complete annihilation and eventually gives birth to the Kwsiatz Haderach Paul Atreides that end up a Jihad that kills billions.

The Kwisatz Haderach, a pure form of power is unwillingly just by his existence prompts the jihad. The might god-emperor Leto Atreides Ⅱ’s monoarchy eventually leads people to an extent they are completely vulnerable without his existence.

 

 

Every organization and party had to seek power and on their intercourse of power regardless of ethics of the purpose, only consequences remain. Whether protagonist, antagonist for a purpose, one must seek power and despite their purpose, power only gave birth to consequences and result. There was no morality at all.

 

 

“There is no escape—we pay for the violence of our ancestors.”

 

 

 

“A ruler must learn to persuade and not to compel... he must lay the best coffee hearth to attract the finest men... a good ruler has to learn his world's language... it's different for every world... the language of the rocks and growing things... the language you don't hear just with your ears... the Mystery of Life... not a problem to solve, but a reality to experience...