Rather like Dune or Trouble on Titan, the people who run the place have decided that the best way to control it is to treat the workers on whose labour they depend as badly as possible

Hmmm, is that an accurate description of the Arrakis economy? I thought the actual spice harvesting was done by the Harkonnens, and the Fremen were troublesome locals who didn't actually play a role in gathering melange.