CHOAM
CHOAM, the monopoly on all commerce in the Imperium, whose directorships are the plainest measure of a Great House's political power.
The Combine Honnete Ober Advancer Mercantiles is the monopoly that covers every form of commerce in the Imperium, which in practice means it controls economic affairs across the known universe, though it depends on the Spacing Guild to move anything between worlds. CHOAM is built like a publicly held corporation: shareholders, all of them nobles of the Landsraad, with directorships for the major holders. The Padishah Emperor and the Landsraad control the board and the management between them, with the Guild and the Bene Gesserit as silent partners. A directorship is the real evidence of political power, since it shifts with voting strength in the Landsraad, and it is the key to wealth besides, each noble House dipping out of the company's coffers whatever it can.
How far into Dune have you read?
Set your place and this page rewrites itself to exactly that point. Nothing ahead of you will show.