I'm currently reading Frank Herbert's "Dune" for the first time.
I was struck by this passage. It comes right after the Reverend Mother has tested Paul Atreides. She is talking with him.
"𝗢𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺."
How apropos seventy years later.
@DJGummikuh Yes. Herbert wrote Dune as a cautionary tale against misplaced trust, more than anything else.
The feudal system of his far-future polity was made necessary by the limit on communication, which was no faster than travel. Local governance had to be powerful, because it couldn't call up the line on short notice. The Emperor controls broad policy, but Dukes control local government.
@DJGummikuh Sure, but that's not what the Corrino Imperium wants. The Empire wants -- indeed, demands -- local control. But they can't do that directly or in real time, due to communication limitations, so the feudal system serves that purpose. The Duke carries the Emperor's authority, locally.
What you're suggesting does become the reality in Dune, from Heretics onwards, following the collapse of the Empire.
Wolf
DJGummikuh
WesDym