Charisma

Most basically, charisma refers to a rare trait found in certain humans that combines unusual charm and an ascribed “magnetic” quality of personality and/or appearance. Deriving from the Greek word (chárisma), it includes the meaning of “gift” or “divine favor,” in particular with reference to innate and sophisticated personal communication and persuasiveness.

Charisma as a concept has been employed in several contexts, as a religious concept, a sociological concept, or a psychological concept, and also in journalistic and common language usage. Although impossible to operationalize accurately, charisma is often used to describe, or rather to label, a personality trait that includes the seemingly “supernatural” ability of some rare persons to lead, charm, persuade, and inspire others due to their “magnetic,” alluring quality, without using power or threat. It refers to an ascribed quality, not to be achieved purposefully, in certain people who draw the attention and admiration (but also hatred if the attribution of charisma is perceived to be dangerous) of others.

As a political concept, charisma became famous most of all due to the analytical formulation by Max Weber (1864–1920) as one of his three types [Page 225]of legitimate rule (legitime Herrschaft). In addition to the rational-legal (-bureaucratic) rule (legale Herrschaft) and the traditional rule (traditionale Herrschaft), the charismatic rule (charismatische Herrschaft) was applied by Weber (1924/1947) to historical forms of political domination “resting on devotion to the exceptional sanctity, heroism or exemplary character of an individual person, and of the normative patterns or order revealed or ordained by him” (p. 215). In his writings about charismatic rule, Weber (1946) applies the term charisma to

Charisma thus denotes a relationship rather than an individual personality attribute. Should the strength of this belief fade, the domination of the charismatic leader can also fade quickly, which is why this form of rule can be very unstable, as the exercise of charisma is founded purely on its recognition by the leader's followers. Although charismatic domination evolves in contexts of traditional and/or rational-legal rule, it tends to challenge these forms of rule and is therefore interpreted by Weber as revolutionary. Although charismatic domination represents personal and noninstitutionalized leadership, Weber points to some processes of longer duration for which he employed the term routinization of charisma (Veralltäglichung des Charisma). Under the constant challenge of traditional and/or rational-legal forms of domination, he recognizes the partial institutionalization of charisma through the establishment of specified positions open exclusively to persons who demonstrate special personal qualities. Institutionalized charisma is also represented by charisma of office (Amtscharisma), which pertains to beliefs that certain officeholders, by virtue of occupying an office (e.g., priesthood), acquire certain special powers or qualities. By contrast, the pure personal charisma attributed to revolutionaries, prophets, and sages resists institutional influences; it is antithetical to stable authority based on fixed codes and customs.

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