Paul Atreides’ rise to Godhood via political power (Part 3)
In the previous part I covered two forms of Legitimacy, Martial and Religous. Religious Legitimacy is so prominent and necessary throughout the story but it is not enough.
Get Wallace Jr the III’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
Ideological Legitimacy is when people give their trust in somebody due to aligning beliefs of the future. The Fremen people not only want their sandy planet to return to the green paradise that it once was, but they also want liberation from the ruthless Harkonnens. This of course is no problem for Paul as Harkonnen destruction is his main goal, and Paul has no problem symbolizing the other one of these goals. But to deliver on his promises Paul needs to utilise another form of legitimacy that he has no doubt has been showing since the beginning, that being Charismatic Legitimacy. If Paul can prove his desirable qualities as a leader, Fremen devotion will be inevitable. With Paul already being in a prophecy (Religious) and the dawn of a war ahead (Ideological), that outcome becomes more than likely. Paul is an extremely strong fighter, being able to take down the Fremen Jamis — his display of Martial Legitimacy, and ease of taking down Harkonnens just adds proof. And Paul constantly fufills things in the prophecy, he knows the ways of the Fremen, many things even before he joins their ranks. He rides a giant sandworm — Shai Hulud, only furthering the Fremen’s belief that he is the one. But the path to greatness does not come without obstacles, Paul can’t win over every Fremen magically. Paul’s greatest conflict in the story is not only the war against the Harkonnens, but with another Fremen woman — Chani. She causes Paul to reconsider his path, and he starts to reject the path of a prophet. And when he starts having visions of mass destruction along his path, he is unsure if he should continue and take advantage of his already increasing support.
Soon after the Fremen are attacked by the Harkonnens, Paul starts to become unable to reject his path. Under the pressure of the Harkonnens, Paul folds and continues south, deep into Fremen territory, to once and for all take control of the Fremen population, and lead them to “Paradise”.
