Herbert argued that Dune examines the harmful effects of charismatic leaders. Paul Atreides is portrayed as a symbolic character; although he possesses good intentions, his efforts to survive and support his followers lead to chaos and conflict. Arrakis is shown as a finely tuned ecological system where human society plays a cooperative part. When the Fremen surrender their autonomy to their prophet, Paul, the planet's natural balance is disturbed, leading to the collapse of the entire ecosystem. Herbert seemed to suggest that a leader's motives are irrelevant compared to the damaging consequences of their influence. If people give up their capacity for personal decision-making, catastrophe is unavoidable, no matter how well-meaning the leader may be.

The notion that surrender can be harmful frequently appears in Herbert's work. In Santaroga Barrier (1968), for instance, a whole community takes a drug that eliminates individuality but boosts collective functioning. The residents routinely kill outsiders without contemplating the ethics of their actions, solely to safeguard the community, no matter the repercussions. As a result, the community falls behind the wider society and becomes stagnant. This theme of the dangers of giving up personal agency connects the Dune series.