The History of CHOAM | Dune Lore

As a companion to Denis Villeneuve's DUNE 2021, I've been exploring the organizations and elements that make up Frank Herbert's iconic Dune saga. This is a discussion of the history and influence of the organization known as CHOAM. I also discuss CHOAM's inner-workings.
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License for commercial use: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported "Share Alike" (CC BY-SA 3.0) License.
Information sources: Frank Herbert’s Dune Series
dune.fandom.com/wiki
en.wikipedia.org/wiki
Art Credits
(if I missed your credit or miscredited a photo please let me know via email at [e-mail])
Dune Spice Refinery by Mark Molnar
Dune Speedpaintings by Mark Molnar
Dune by Frank Herbert by Marc Simonetti
Heighliners by Julian Faylona
Dune Messiah - Marc Simonetti
Dune Atreides by Angel Alonso
Landing in the Desert by Kamen Anev
Dune Halls of Arrakeen by Mark Molnar
Dune Ornithopters Landing by Mark Molnar
Dune Spice Harvester by Mark Molnar
Baron Harkonnen by Boti Harko
Leto Atreides II, God Emperor of Dune by Devon Cady-Lee
Dune Honored Matre by Guchi
Harvest Wormsign by Sammy Hall
All the videos, songs, images, and graphics used in the video belong to their respective owners and I or this channel does not claim any right over them.
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Use of any copyrighted material in this video qualifies as fair use.

[@Restilia_ch]

I just started rereading Dune and could not for the life of me remember what CHOAM is, so thank you very well timed lore video. Now excuse me while I search for hunter-seekers in my bedroom Cookies might be spying on me.

[@marknovak6498]

CHOAM was in the background. Its biggest moment was when its flag was flowing as a response to Pauls's message to the empire before the battle at the end of the first book. It served a role but it really could exist if it had all sides see it as useful but not a threat.

[@nodiggity9472]

CHOAM was like the British East India Corporation. Only with Melange instead of Opium.

[@danorser6516]

CHOAM was in the background similar to the way when you look at a landscape painting, the sun is in the background. It doesn't factor much in what the landscape is but is reflected in everything you see. Whenever any great house moves: it is based on what that movement does for them within the realm of or hiding from the gaze of CHOAM. The whole fact of Arrakis being a trap, why it was planned, why it was stealth, and why it couldn't be avoided is all directly linked back to the company.

[@paulwolfley7785]

Thanks for the content during this age of waiting

[@mrmorris01]

You do an excellent job of clearly explaining much that Herbert implied, but did not spell out. I’ve been reading and rereading Dune for decades, and still find new details and nuances - especially as my knowledge of history, religion and philosophy expands. You nicely walk the line between explaining concepts and spoon-feeding the reader. Keep up the good work.

[@OdintheGermanShepherd]

I think this is my new favorite channel….outstanding videos, great job….your voice is great also!!

[@jezebulls]

You can say that again!! I can say that again too! “I think this is my new favorite channel”

[@igorruste1187]

How are you typing?

[@jezebulls]

@@igorruste1187 bark to text

[@robertsosna3557]

It is interesting to hear the background histories of Dune. I look forward to watching more videos like this! It is often referred to as a water tyranny. Who ever controls the water controls the society, or in Dune's case it's the spice the controls the universe.

[@dragonrune6800]

I wish they would use a real person/voice rather than the automatic one.

[@mjisurdad]

@@dragonrune6800 is it not a real voice?

[@dragonrune6800]

@@mjisurdad I could be wrong, but I think it is artificial.

[@FernZepeda]

As always, your deep research is beautifully portrayed, yet again. It's so awesome the way you put the pieces of the puzzle, regarding the slight nuances, together to help fill in the gaps. Thank you for helping enlighten us.

[@Orkillester1]

CHOAM is another piece in Herbert's overall philosophy - which is mostly that too much centralization leads to humanity stalling and even backsliding as a whole. When taking the ending of the series into account, it seems he generally thought we should let people be free to choose their destinies for the most part, and not rely on too much centralization, as that reduces the number of things that are needed to fail to hurt more people overall. In this sense, CHOAM was not really a free market - it was an organization to be manipulated by and benefit the greater powers in the Dune universe.

[@paulhunter6742]

The same could be said for Stock Markets, the Banking systems and Housing market. Hundreds of thousands average people trade stocks or invest in mutual funds. home equity etc yet only power brokers at very top male any real money.

[@Orkillester1]

You could argue this, but I think in interviews Herbert stated his inspiration for what CHOAM was and how it worked was OPEC@@paulhunter6742

[@kevincharles9864]

As always luv your videos 🖤

[@johndevillier2852]

The Golden Path changed the way the Dune society worked forever(the scattering), never stagnation again! Great video as always….🖖🏽

[@baraka99]

Your voice is so soothing and I love the imagery you use as you thoroughly explain complex political matters.

[@Ozymandias1]

The RDA corporation in Avatar was also based on the Dutch East India Company (which was a private company as opposed to the British one, which was state owned).

[@Jared_Wignall]

Always cool to see a Dune video from you. Hope you’re having a great day!

[@chadvanderlinden9548]

Interstellar travel did not become "slow and expensive" after the Butlerian Jihad, it became more DANGEROUS. You could still fold space and travel the universe in seconds, but there was a 10% probability that you'd dissappear. It was as fast as ever, but with steep insurance rates. Cargo shipping continued using automated vehicles or skeleton crews, but it was too risky for important passengers. The thinking machines which had performed navigation had to be replaced by people who could perform the same task. These Guild Navigators were expensive, indeed! There was still the option of sublight interstellar travel, but this would have been slow and far more expensive than running fleets of fold-ships with a 10% loss rate.

[@michaelmontgomery5141]

Hey NC! Glad you have finally made it down the path of life to the movie!

[@briandaum1639]

Love your videos!

[@misterangel8486]

Magnificent as always. Well done 👋😎👍

[@Majik1911]

I absolutely love listening to you. Your content is very relevant to what I like it’s very informative and your voice is beautiful. Thanks for the content.

[@NerdCookies]

Thanks for listening!

[@branmakmorn]

Great stuff. You all are gonna have to upload even more detailed Dune lore videos in the next few months.

[@shanenolan8252]

Thanks guys. A truly interesting topic

[@Davepool-hs7vr]

I love the artwork that goes into these videos

[@jezebulls]

I think this is my new favorite channel!!

[@lucastreber460]

Great work. Please continue

[@lab483]

Thanks again for another great video demonstrating the depth of Herbert's world building. The epoch of Dune seems more and more like nineteenth century Europe.

[@djolds1]

Interesting exploration of a deeper Dune topic.

[@g.thomashart9368]

A real-world trading organization with some similarities to CHOAM might be the Hudson'r Bay Company, which traded in many goods based principally upon the trade in skins and furs.It actually amalgamated after some time with the similar Northwest Company, which was managed from France rather than Britain.

[@eddobbs2075]

Love your videos

[@Tommy1977777]

Love this channel.

[@shanenolan8252]

Funny im reading a history book about the Dutch east India company in Asia in 15th and 16th century. British east India company is quite similar also

[@Kevin_Street]

What interests me most about the institutions in the Dune Universe is the way they seamlessly lock together and define reality for the people of the Empire. CHOAM is only possible because of the Spacing Guild, while the Spacing Guild's existence is maintained thanks to CHOAM. If any navigators wanted to break out of the Guild and start their own transportation company, no Houses would deal with them, lest they be punished by CHOAM. Meanwhile, for the Emperor and the Houses of the Landsraad power is defined by the amount of control they have over the company. In the real world the great game has been played throughout history by fighting wars to control territory, but in Frank Herbert's universe control over territory is less important than the amount of shares you possess. The Harkonnens started as a House Minor, and through wheeling and dealing came to control a number of planets and the shares that came with them. But the other side of this is that no organization _except_ a House can have shares in CHOAM, and thus power. No other system of government except feudalism is permitted to exist.

[@drewjackson3858]

The art in this video is sick.

[@richardtorres312]

Woah this is the lady of lore of elder scrolls voice. Where tf have u been bro I loved the daedric videos

[@paulkielty3800]

I love you Nerd Cookies 👍

[@vesawuoristo4162]

Thanks 😊

[@tobor88]

Have you ever considered going into audiobooks? I could fall asleep to your voice. It's so relaxing.

[@thatotherguy8138]

Beyond being modeled on OPEC to further the Spice = Oil analogy, I think that what Hebert was going for with CHOAM was to show that even when humanity creates a system that is explicitly designed to bring about peace and prosperity (which CHOAM did for nearly 10,000 years and then some), it will ALWAYS be done to ensure that whomever is currently in control is the one who will benefit most from the peace and prosperity. So while it is not a complete lie that such things are done for the betterment of everyone... some people will, by design, come out farther ahead than others.

[@ryanarment5393]

In a way it reminded me of the Florentino banks like the Medici bank. They wielded great political power throughout Europe. Only fools would cross them. Royalty, nobility, gentry and even ambitious commoners would borrow from these banks to fund their enterprises. These banks had interests in everything from insurance policies, loans, shipping, and international trade, to merchant shops.

[@ericthompson3982]

I've always seen it as an allegory for OPEC.

[@erikbjelke4411]

CHOAM is one of those things that can throw newcomers to Dune for a loop. It's not uncommon to see "feudal science fiction". . . BattleTech and the Deathstalker novels are but two examples off the top of my head. . . but marrying feudal governmental systems with a modern publicly-traded corporation, so that wealth and status are determined not just by noble title and holdings as well as personal power and charisma, but viability of trade resources and mercantile factors determining directorships and shares, that's an entirely new wrinkle.

[@antcow1239]

Ive always wondered where all the aliens were in Dune. I would have liked to see CHOAM bartering with them

[@JessWLStuart]

Comment to help the channel with the youtube algorithm.

[@gestaposantaclaus]

Imagine working at a CHOAM warehouse on Giedi Prime 😭😭🤯

[@lordmuaddib]

the relation between the CHOAM, the guild and the spice management is so fashinating. the guild could have easily got full control over everything due to the leverage they have on the basic way of life of the imperium...but they didn't. they are so addicted to the spice that they just want to be "there" to get it, and they leave all the political implications to the landsraad

[@mrcuddles2199]

Writing teacher: "Okay class now let's write a story but this time really try to flesh out the characters and the world they live in." Herbert: "Hold my beer..."

[@tb4495]

Amazon is little CHOAM! Amazon will become CHOAM. CHOAM is Amazon. Consider the structure of both organizations.

[@paulkielty3800]

Everyone waiting for their delivery of spice……….the spice must flow.

[@richardallan2767]

Dune really is a mine of philosophy and astute real world observation. Choam is totally opec though. Can't wait to see what villeneuve does with the Navigators.

[@timbernie]

kinda like the East India Trading Co. and the Northwest trading Co. A cut out for King George. The Generals and Admirals of NA worked for the company.

[@Orgruk]

And as we all know The Spice must flow

[@paulkielty3800]

We see plans within plans .

[@haroldaranda8042]

CHOAM: The OPEC of OPECs

[@hucklebuck411]

In the latest expanded Dune universe novel, first in the Caladan trilogy, a rebel from a high level leadership family within CHOAM is carrying out terrorist acts against the emperor, seeking to gain personal vengeance and ultimately to overthrow the emperor's hold over the noble houses. CHOAM would then gain even more influence over the individual noble houses from the power vacuum created with the dissolution of the empire. This person is also attempting to recruit Duke Leto into his cause via extortion. I'm interested to see if Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson will reveal in this trilogy what the exact tipping point is that makes the emperor decide to join with the Harkonnens to set up the Atreides family on Arrakis in order to destroy them. As with all expanded Dune universe novels, this will be a BH/KJA version of events.

[@attilaattila1656]

So CHOAM Corp is basically AMAZON!?!!

[@johnolive3425]

Send a Third Stage Guild Navigator to Kaitain to demand an audience with the Empire. Oil.. er, Spice ( you get the idea) must flow!

[@freeriding666]

These fanart drawings are WAY cooler the visual snoozefest for Millenials that the latest Dune adaptation is. Some big-ass Hollywood producers need a career change, or hire artists with actual talent like the one who did this.

[@shiddy.]

so if things had gone as planned for the emperor and baron and the atreides were wiped out, what would have happened to the atreides directorship and shares?

[@HarmonyEdge]

Due to nuances in my education of my mother tongue, and for giggles, I tend to pronounce the last word as MERKANTEELESS... 🤣🤣🤣

[@OneTrueEdge]

I never understood why the entire house had to move to Arrakis

[@EricVornoff]

cool

[@worldtraveler930]

I think it smells an awful lot like the Blue Sun cooperation of the verse!!! 🤠👍

[@theumbrellacorporation1523]

CHOAM is like the equivalent of Amazon for the Dune universe.

[@spock_elvis]

🎵SO VERY ADORABLE🎵

[@NR-rv8rz]

Nice video. But, is Dune set 20k years in the future or is it 20k from the date of the Orange Catholic Bible or some other date such as the Butlerian Jihad? I'm not sure Dune is set in what would be to use the year 22,000. I read somewhere there was a date reset and it's much further in the future.

[@NerdCookies]

Thanks! It starts about 20,000 and spans thousands of years until the end of the saga

[@-AtomsPhere-]

Did your channels trailer live stream get taken down?

[@NerdCookies]

Nope, after a few days it becomes a "members only" video

[@galaxypig8168]

Daaaaaaaang

[@thomasciarlariello3228]

What does Choam do off Arrakis?

[@frankmontez6853]

My two cents - some try to make this saga /series into much more than what the author wanted just a sci fi work . a series of books . Not to influence or make any commentary on society . He took from certain known history , institutions , religions etc and created a great series . He's not a ' visionary " that he wanted to change or shake things up things on political , societal level at all . This whole thing the new movie and discussion of what the series meant from the author has almost got me interested in doing research . rereading series and anything else he wrote or said during interviews .

[@Cybonator]

Was OPEC, now becoming more like Amazon

[@florianpierredumont4775]

When I was a teenager, I asked my dad how did Herbert died. < He was murdered by the CHOAM. > I thought it was serious, at this time...

[@fullmetal_neet2288]

Frank Herbert was clearly talking about Amazon

[@stevescott8061]

Dune is just really cool

[@instantjizz]

So Choam is space Amazon?

[@MegaKapo12]

In this future got they've got rid of A. I. machines but not of corporations.

[@W1ldTangent]

CHOAM = Space Amazon

[@london_james]

What does the spacing guild spend its money on

[@london_james]

What drives them? Power?

[@paulkielty3800]

Cake and candy like all stoners.

[@vinsanity40k]

so herbert extrapolated that in the far future of humanity, we'd still be saddled with authoritarianism and capitalism and feudalism. great stuff to look forward to. of course, asimov had similar ideas as well.

[@KaironQD]

Ummm... stonks?

[@jamesoloughlin]

Definitely influenced Half-Life lore.

[@daniels7907]

Just because you have capitalism does *not* mean that you have a free market, or freedom, period.

[@KenDelloSandro7565]

The Spice must flow....

[@braveconcepts]

Saw Dune last night.... No mention of Choam at all. Draw your conclusions.

[@timoteoserna]

So in a “history” of CHOAM there’s no mention of Norma Cenva or Josef Venport? Wow. This video is more of a cursory description of CHOAM rather than any sort of history.

[@4chukwuebuka]

You sound like a kid