CHOAM
The universal development corporation whose directorships control the wealth of the Empire.
The Combine Honnete Ober Advancer Mercantiles, or CHOAM, is a universal development corporation in Frank Herbert's Dune universe, first mentioned in the 1965 novel Dune. It controls economic affairs across the known universe, although it remains at the mercy of the Spacing Guild's monopoly on interstellar travel. Its management and board of directors are controlled by the Padishah Emperor and the Landsraad, with the Spacing Guild and the Bene Gesserit as silent partners.
Lore & Background
Because it controls interplanetary commerce, CHOAM is the largest single source of wealth in the Empire, and influence in it is a central goal of political manoeuvring; the Great Houses compete constantly for stakes in the company. In a 1980 article Herbert compared CHOAM to OPEC. Before the climactic battle in Dune, Paul Atreides and the Fremen watch the Emperor's encampment to see whether he will raise the Atreides flag or the Harkonnen banner; instead he raises the flag of CHOAM, a reminder that economics outweigh political considerations. In 2011 Forbes ranked CHOAM the largest fictional corporation.
Reader's Guide
Read this page with the Landsraad, the Spacing Guild and Melange: the Atreides position in CHOAM depends on spice profits, which is why the move to Arrakis matters so much in Dune.
More in Great Houses & Organizations
Elsewhere in Dune
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