"The stakes in conflict do not change. Battle determines who will control the wealth or its equivalent"

This quote by Frank Herbert speaks to the concept that conflict is frequently driven by a desire to control resources. In other words, the stakes in dispute are often about who will have access to wealth or its comparable. This could imply concrete resources such as money, land, or resources, or it could suggest intangible resources such as power, impact, or control. In any case, the result of a dispute is typically figured out by who is able to gain control of these resources. This quote suggests that the stakes in dispute are constantly the very same, and that the only thing that changes is who will ultimately be in control of the resources.