[Durelin]

I just had a quick thought specifically when I read Saucepan Man's post, #16.

Originally Posted by Saucepan Man

...the majority will "fall into line" either out of fear or because they have lack understanding that their ruler is acting "wrongly". Whether the submission through fear aspect would apply to Dwarves is a moot point, given their famed resistance to enslavement. Then again, Kuru paints a picture of a culture which adheres strongly to the demands of its heirarchical structure.

Because of the adherence to hierarchical structure, the importance of family, and the importance of the patriarch (made me think of a sort of less spiritual Confucian-filial piety sort of deal), I see it as quite possible that Dwarves would follow their leader without fear or without even being somehow convinced at all times that what their leader is doing is 'right', but purely out of respect for the patriarch, the hierarchical structure, and out of a loyalty to their House. Betraying the patriarch is betraying the House.

So I basically agree with what Saucepan Man says at the end of his post:

It is possible, for example, that those Dwarves who fought on Sauron's side in the Last Alliance did so believing that their cause was the "right" one, or because they were in thrall to their corrupted leaders, but that their loyalty to their own kind surmounted even this when it came to incidents such as Thror's death at the hands of Azog.

To begin with Dwarves never seem overly concerned with other people's problems. They always have their own reasons (as most people do...) for allying themselves with Men and Elves: prosperity, their own protection, the gaining of wealth, or just to kill a shared enemy. But in The Hobbit, Thorin and co. are fully prepared to fight both Men and Elves for their own reasons. Still not all of them seem to feel it's such a good idea, holding out in the mountain and refusing all compromise. But none will dare disagree with Thorin. So really I agree it's possible that Dwarves would even join with Sauron if they thought it was in their best interest, and I think that if the leader of a House or group thought it was in his and/or his House's best interest to join with Sauron, most of the House would follow with him, regardless of what they felt.

Whether or not that is evil is questionable I think. And I definitely don't think they would have to be "under the sway" of anyone -- I think loyalty and respect regardless would be enough.