Hello everyone:
Still thinking about Dune, the second page of this essay paints Dune as politics through and through, as it is an exercise in the exchange of power from some parties to other parties within a given territory. Religious tone aside, it actually should be read more as THE case study in effective politics - can Muad'Dib's army be any closer to the definition of legitimized violence?
Continuing this look at Dune based on Weber's essay, I feel that Paul Atriedes does in fact have his calling, or vocation, in politics, but "in politics" rather than "from politics." By this I mean that Paul's entire meaning in life is derived from his various actions towards changing the galactic balance of power (and more specifically, on Arrakis) towards his favor. He is not seeking to gain power in order to become rich (although his new position as Emperor ought to be extremely lucrative); instead he seeks to right the wrongs done to his father as well as improving the lot of the Fremen. Speaking of the Fremen, they are not quite bureaucrats in the normal sense of the word, but they fulfill Weber's discussion of them - the lieutenants and other commanders are highly trained individuals who have parallel authority to Paul, but their authority is not religiously derived; Paul himself handed it out to these independent agents of his will.
I think this example of Paul Atreides follows Weber's essay fairly neatly, although not perfectly.
-Mike
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But you know, Paul didn't recruit the Fremen to his cause; they basically recruited him, and he co-opted them into his quest for power. There's no evidence that they wouldn't have been able to attain their goal without him; in fact, you could make the case that his war against the Harkonnens killed more Fremen than would have died otherwise. I mean, the Baron sure didn't think they were a problem. Rabban took them seriously, but only because Paul was making them kill Harkonnens regularly.
I think towards the end of the novel Paul especially takes on a vocation for politics as Weber would describe it. One of the more interesting moments is when we figure out that Paul has lost the same absolute respect for life we knew the duke to have. In that time he shifts for an ethic of conviction to an ethic of responsibility
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