I don't claim to see into the guy's mind, but I can imagine a power-hungry person telling himself stories about the hunger being justified by all the great thin

I don't claim to see into the guy's mind, but I can imagine a power-hungry person telling himself stories about the hunger being justified by all the great things he wants to do for humanity. It doesn't really matter whether the motives are pure or base; my point is more that the system is set up to amplify the wishes of one person with no recourse. So when the pharaoh gets obsessed with something weird, the empire must follow.