The Houses in Dune are quite powerful. I'd call it a strong fuedal culture.
Traveller's culture has always struck me as a soft fuedal culture. It's there, but it also makes room for world governments of many types. And, when politicians from these worlds move out into the void, away from their homeworld, their beliefs probably dirty the water that binds the Imperium together.
Take a politician from a democratic world. Once elected to be that world's representative to go before the sector Duke, he probably takes on a title of Baron as required by Imperial fuedal law. I can see that Barony be only a title on that world--not a traditional Baron at all--with the title being formally bestowed upon the next person to take the office when the term expires.
There's probably all sorts of these types of hybrids in the Traveller universe--the melding of local and insterstellar policitcs.
It's quite facinating to consider, really.
Come to think of it, there's probably the reverse of what I've said above too. A world with a strong fuedal society like that shown in Dune. The world's leader is a king. But, under Imperial law, his title is that of Baron.
"Welcome his majesty, King Froopiad, lord of the seven pillars, baron of Argus, holder of the sacred crown, knight of the four paws."
This person is probably quite baffled or frustrated at the loose fuedal culture that the Imperium must have to accomodate all the different world governments.
It also indicates that the "loose-ness" of this Imperial fuedal culture becomes more rigid the higher one climbs the ladder. I would not be surprised if the relationship between the dukes, archdukes, and the emperor are not unlike what is shown in Dune at all. While, at the lower levels, those nobles are more "watered down" with people that hail from varied political systems.
As I said above, it's a facinating thing to contemplate.
