What I mean is that while Frank Herbert may have never accepted socialism or it’s like, he would’ve likely balked at the continued imperialist interventions in it’s future, specifically in the middle east. I imagine he would’ve also been an advocate for addressing climate change. He was, at the very least, someone who had somewhat nuanced beliefs, which feels rarer among the conservatives we see now (as we slip closer to fascism). Granted if he were somehow alive today it’s likely he d just be another doddering old piece of shit.

As for the feudalism stuff, I’m not sure what character promoted the feudalism but it’s pretty clear that Herbert didn’t see that as the best system. He definitely believed in great men doing great things, and of the need for adversity. If you read God Emperor this is really hammered in. If anything he seems to argue that humans are doomed to cycles of oppression and “freedom” and that is the cycle that Leto 2 is attempting to break by being the ultimate tyrant.

Anyways, I’m definitely not really trying to defend Herbert here. I just got done going through books 2-4, and went through God emperor two times. I first read these books in highschool when I was still in the clutches of my families reactionary ideology and a lot of the great man stuff and shitty philosophy of God emperor (which is really where a lot of his personal political beliefs bleed through) clicked with me now, but seems very stupid now. If you do read it I would say to pretend to yourself that his personal assistant Moneo is a closeted homosexual as that was something I finally picked up on (it’s almost certainly not intended by Herbert, it’s just very interested to read it that way).

Also I’m typing this on my phone so sorry if what I’m writing kind of goes all over the place. Ive got bad ADHD and if I’m not at a PC to proofread myself I can smash out pretty incoherent messes