An Analysis of Weber's Work on Charisma

Author(s): Thomas E. Dow Jnr.

Reviewed work(s):
Source: The British Journal of Sociology, Vol. 29, No. 1 (Mar., 1978), pp. 83-93
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Britishioarnalof SoctologyFolunle
29 ;Cuzzlber
I MarGh If 78

Thomas E. Dow Jnr.

An analysisof Weber'sworkon charisma

ABSTRACT

The presentpaper examinesWeber'swork on charismafrom the

originalformulationin Economy andSocaety1 to the Enalstatementin
the essayon 'Politicsas a Vocation'.2Both the intendedmeaningof
charismain the earlierformulationand the usesandlimitationsof the
new formulationarediscussed.The paperconcludeswithsomeobser-
vationson the place of charismain Weber'sethicaland intellectual
life.

THE THEORY OF CHARISMA

In Weber'soriginalformulation,charismaticauthorityis said to exist

when an individual'sclaim to 'specificgiftsof body and mind'3is ack-
knowledgedby othersas a validbasisfortheirparticipationin an extra-
ordinaryprogrammeof action.The leader'sauthorityand programme
are thus specifically'outsidethe realm of everydayroutine and . . .
[therefore]sharply opposed both to rational ... and to traditional
authority.... Both ... are ... formsof everydayroutinecontrol...
while charismaticauthority ... is ... a specificallyrevolutionary
force'.4In this sense, 'charismais self-determinedand sets its own
all valuesand
limits'.5It 'rejectsall externalorder. . . ;6it 'transforms
breaksall traditionaland rational norms....'7 'In its most potent
forms,. . . [it] overturnsall notionsof sanctity.'8Insteadof respectfor
rationalrule and tradition,it compels'the surrenderof the faitllfulto
the extraordinary and unheard-of,to whatis aliento all regulationand
traditionand thereforeis viewedas divine . . .'9
In a basicsense,then, charismaticauthorityrepresentsa patternof
psychological,social, and economicrelease:Releasefrom 'traditional
or rationaleverydayeconomizing. . . ;10releasefrom'custom,law and
tradition';1l releasefrom'all notionsof sanctity';12 releasefrom 'ordi-
naryworldlyattachmentsand dutiesof occupationaland familylife';l3
and releasefromoneselfor one'sconscience.
The couragethe followerrequiresto abandonhimself,to overcome
the externaland internallimits of daily existence(Alltag),is provided
by identificationwith the charismaticleader,in that the leader,on the
basisof his apparentgiftsof bodyand mind,his lleroism,is perceivedas

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84 Thomas
E. Dowffnr.
a model of botll releaseitself and the apparentpowerthat makesre-
lease possible.It follows,that releaseand the posverof eharismaare
interrelatedif not identical,and tllat the followeris movedto 'eomplete
personaldevotion. . .'14becausehe seesin the leaderforcesthat exist
within himself,forcesthat are being freed from the restraintof eon-
ventionby the beillgand actionof the leader.Accordingly,the follower
obtains'freedom'from the eommonplace,the ordinary,the recurrent
by surrenderingto both the initiativesof the leaderand the emotional
eentresof his own being.
Thenature of charisma
Weber argues that eestasy as a 'distinetivesubjectivecondition ...
represents. . . charisma. . .'15As a psychicstateassociatedwith charis-
matie 'rebirth' or 'self-deification',l6ecstasy may be produced by
'alcohol,tobaceo,or otherdrugs. . ., by musicand dance;by sexuality;
or by a combinationof all three . . . ;17that is, by the 'breakingdown
[of] inhibitions. . .n18
By linkingcllarismaand ecstasy,Weberimpliesthe elementaland
daemoniecharacterof the concept;it representsa stateof beingbeyond
reasonand self-control.Thusit appliesequallyboth to Romeo'sadora-
tion of Juliet and Othello'srage in the murderof Desdemona.Both
Romeo and Othelloare lifted out of themselvesby the powerfulemo-
tions of joy and ragesvhichprovokepassionateexpressionand frenzied
action.It followsthat while the differencebetweentheseemotionsand
the consequencesthey engenderis crucial,it is not a matterthat can be
resolvedwithin, or is even relevantto, the state of ecstacyitself. The
eonsequeneesof forces releasedby charismamust be e;aluated by
standardsexternalto the forcesthemselves.This, it appears,is ^hat
Weberhad in mindwhen he insistedthat 'howthe qualityin question
would ultimatelybe judged fromany ethical, aesthetic,or other such
point of view is naturallyentirelyindifferentfor purposesof defini-
tion'.l9This indifference(WertfreiAeit) permitsus to discoveror recog-
nize the ultimatemeaningand consequencesof charisma,and hence
subsequentlyto establishits moralor ethicalsigniEcaneein the light of
our own values.
One mustbeginwith the natureor essenceof eharisma;that essenee
is Dionysian.Likethe god Dionysus,eharisma'represents. . . the incar-
nate life-forceitself,. . . the thrustof the sap in the tree and the blood
in the veins . .X20Consequently,extraordinarygifts of body or mind
whicll expressor releasethis poweror forcearedaemonic,in that,as in
the myth of Dionysus,they representgrace or divinity 'divestedof
morality. . .'21Such daemonicforceis 'not devilishbut the realityof
. . . earelesspcser.22
Accordingly,it is not, as Weberrecognizes,to 'ultimateethicalprin-
ciples',23or to the 'beings. . . concealed"behind". . . the eharismatic-
ally endowed. . . persons',24 tllat folloversgive their allegiance,but to

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Ananalysisof Weber's
workoncharisma 85

the poweritself.Whoeverpossessesthat poweror charisma'is stronger

even than the god, whomhe can compelto do his will'.25It is the per-
ceivedpowerover demons,death,and Alltagin generalthat is crucial,
and that poweris elementalnot ethical.If it is a concealedpowerat all
then, it is so only in the sense that it is concealedwithin each of us.
Charismadiscovers,expresses,andreleasesthatpower;it literally'revo-
lutionizesmen from witllin',26freeing emotionaland instinctualele-
mentspreviouslyrepressedby convention.
This pattern is found in fAe Bacchae, where the Maenadson the
mountainarepossessedby the charismaof theirleaderandmurderPen-
theusin a stateof ecstaticsurrender.Whiletheirecstasyitselfis not sub-
ject tojudgment,any morethan the capriceor carelessness of lightning,
rain, or wind, tlle ethical meaningof its consequencesmust still be
sought tllroughthe applicationof personalvalues. That Weberhim-
self soughtsuch meaningis evidentin his final statementon charisma.
A model for this final formulation,incidentally,may be found in the
actionsof the Chorusin TheBacchae, in that 'the Bacchantesof the
Chorusare not possessed'n27 as were those who killed Pentheus.'A
divinity. . . movesin theirwords,but less as a chaoticwildnessthan as
a controlledand passionateconviction.'28 It is thisqualityof 'controlled
and passionateconviction'whichstandsat the centreof Weber'sformu-
lation in 'Politicsas a Vocation'.The intellectualpath that led him to
this Snal formulationmay be reconstructedas follows.
In the idealtypicalmodel,charismais presentedas an emotionallife-
force antitheticallyrelatedto the routinerequirementsof daily exist-
ence. Conceptually,it represents'thatpartof sociallife [ofhumanexist-
ence] that remainsforeverbeyondthe reach of bureaucraticdomina-
tion'.29In reality,however,its realmis beingerodedby the progressive
rationalizationof life. Discipline,as the instrumentof rationalization,
'inexorablytakesover ever-largerareasas the satisfactionof political
and economicneedsis increasinglyrationalized.This universalphen-
omenon more and more restrictsthe importanceof charismaand of
individuallydifferentiatedconduct.'30
Giventhis trend,or at leastWeber'sperceptionof such a trend,it is
perhapsnot misleadingto suggestthat he did celebrate'charismaas an
"emotionallife-force"antagonisticto the drearyconstructionof the
iron cage'.3lYet it was not a solutionhe could acceptfully, in that it
replacedthe emotionalemptinessof bureaucraticconformitywith the
irresponsibilityof charismaticcommitment;that is, it substitutedfor
passiveconformityto conventionbehaviour'determined[either]by the
specificaffectsand statesof feelingof the actor',32or by his uncondit-
ional orientationto the realizationof 'absolutevalues'.33Bothpatterns
of courseareirrationalandirresponsible, in the sensethatin neitherone
is the actor 'influencedby considerationsof the consequencesof his
action'.34

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 EllomasE. Dow jfnr.
86
HEART OF DARKNESS35

The Dionysianqualityof charismaand its consequencesmay be illus-

tratedmost clearlyin a literarymodel. This exampleis intendedas a
literaryequivalentof Weber'sideal type, in that it suggestswhat the
esseneeof charismawouldbe in the absenceof non-charismatic elements
and what the consequencesof eharismaticinvolvementwouldbe in the
absenceof routinization.
In the characterof Kurtz, Chiefof the Inner Station,Conradpro-
videsus with a casestudyof the natureand consequencesof charisma.
To those who followedhim, Kurtz was a god. He represented'the
unprecedentedand absoluteunique . . .n,36that which is 'alien to all
regulationand traditionand thereforeis viewed as divine ...'37 His
divinitywas basedon releaseand the powerthatmakesreleasepossible.
In the HeartofDarkness, the thunderandlightningof hisweaponsrepre-
sentsthe literalpowerwhichreleaseson the worlda forcethat can only
be consideredelementalor daemonic.By acceptingIZurtsas one who
possessesthis powerand expressesthis force,his followerssharein this
powerand experiencethis forcewithin themselves.They achievefree-
domfromthe requirements of theirown dailyexistenceby surrendering
to the will of Kurtz.His being and his purposeprovidean occasiorlfor
the breakingdownof inhibitionsandthe realizationof ecstasy the sub-
jective state of charisma.
By rejeeting'as undignifiedall methodicalrationalacquisitiorl,in
fact, all rationaleconomicconduct',38and by freeinghimselffromthe
'worldly attachmentsand duties of occupationaland family life',39
Kurtzcreatesan independentexistence one characterizedby !\4arlow
as involving'no methodat all'.40Yet it is preciselythis lackof method,
restraint,and rationalitythat deEnescharismaand explainsboth the
loyalty of Kurtz'sfollowersand their 'grief'and 'utterdespair'at his
departure.
By allowinghimselfto be returnedto the ship,theirgod desertsthem,
and, in the absenceof his being and llis power,his charisma,they must
returnto the conventionsand restraintsof dailyexistence.Theirleader,
on the otherhand,mustdie a victimof the very life-forcehe released
but eould not control.
The significanceof Kurtz'scollapse,dissolution,and death is exam-
ined by the narrator,Marlow,who associatesKurtz'sdownfallwith his
lack of restraint.Yet when forcedto choosebetweenthe charismatic
fire burninguncheckedin Kurtzand literallyconsuminghim, and the
meaninglessexistenceof the faithlesspilgrims,he choosesKurtz. The
faithlesspilgrims,the manager,the company,mustlDerejectedin favour
of life, bllt that life mustbe livedwith restraintlestit becomea Chorror'
-the judgmentrenderedby Kurtzupon 'tlle adventuresof his soulon
thisearth'.4lThus 'Kurtz,livingoutsideall nortus,yet knowsthat they
exist and eondemnhim. Implicitin his cry [then] is an admissionof

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An analysisof Weber's
workonclzarisma 87

what he has evaded,a realizationof the insuff1ciency

of his total eom-
mitmentto himselfand of the validityof the standardswhicheondemn
him.'42Marlowrecognizesthat neitherKurtz 'with his abandon,nor
the managerwith his gettingon in the world',43has the restraint,the
controlledpassion,necessaryfor genuinelyhumanbehaviour.Thus he
anticipatesWeber'sEnalstatementon eharisma,in that the application
of his own valuesleads Weberinevitablytowardsa Marlowianrather
than a Kurtziansolution.The specificnatureof this solution,which
seeksboth to preserveand eontrolthe forceof charisma,is outlinedin
the voeationalessays.

THE VOCATIONAL
ESSAYS44
At the beginningof his essay on 'Politicsas a Vocation' (Politikals
Beruf), Weberasks: 'What kind of a man must one be if he is to be
allowedto put his lland on the wheelof history?'45( Wasfur einMensch
manseinmuss,umseineHandin dieSpeichen desRadesderGeschichte legenzu
durfen.46)He answershis rhetoriealquestionby indicatingtllat the pri-
vilege of powershouldnot be grantedto the 'politicaldilettante',the
'sterilelyexcited'romantiewhoseinnerbearingis 'devoidof all feeling
of objectiveresponsibility'47
or to the man of greatvanity,whose'need
personallyto stand in the foreground'48 is associatedwith a lack of
objectivityand a eorresponding irresponsibility;or to the 'merepower
politician',who hideshis 'innerweaknessand impotence'behinda self-
intoxicatingworshipof powerfor its own sake.49Nor shouldthe wheel
of historybe placedin the handsof thosewho 'simplyand dully accept
[theirpolitical]occupation[s]',50lackingthe faithandpassionnecessary
for 'genuinelyhumaneonduct',51
Behindthesenegativeearicatures,of 'parvenu-likebraggart'52and
passionlesspolitieal bureaucrat,which all sould tend to reject, lies
Weber'sdeepereonvictionthat politicalleadershipshouldno longerbe
soughtin the unmediatedcharismaticqualitiesof the past.Thisposition
followsfromhis admissionthat unrestrainedcharismaticrelease,which
he previouslydescribedand extolledin Economy andSociet,is associated
necessarilywith an absoluteethic of ultimateends (gesinnungsethisch)
which 'does not ask for consequences'53 and hence has no interestin
controllingor 'taming'54the passionswhich it releases.On the other
hand, Weber arguesthat the total repressionof these passionswould
tendalsoto precludethe kindof responsibleleadershiphenowfanrours.55
I;orWeber,then,neithercompleterepressionnorcompletereleaserepre-
serlt'mature'or 'genuine'humanbehaviour.56
Accordingly,the soberheroof the essayon 'Politicsas a Vocation'is
neithera Kurtz nor a ThomasRuddenbrooks,57 but rathera dynamic
combinationof both. He is to har7epassion(Leidenschaft), a feelingof
responsibility(VerantwortangsgefizAl),
and a sense of proportion(Aag-
enmass).But how, XVeberasks,'can warm passionand a cool senseof

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88 Thomas15.Dow 5}nr.

proportionbe forgedtogetherin one and the same soul? Politics[he

observes]is made with the head, not with other partsof the body or
soul.And yet devotionto politics[he concludes],if it ls not to be frivo-
lousintellectualplay but rathergenuinelyhumanconduct,can be born
and nourishedfrompassionalone.'58
The problemis resolvedby suggestingthat genuinepassionmay be
expressedin the serviceof responsibility and proportion.The passionate
or matureman then, is describedby Weber as one who 'is awareof
a responsibilityfor the consequencesof his conduct and really feels
suchresponsibility withheartandsoul. [Sucha man] . . . actsby follow-
ing an ethieof responsibilityandsomewherehe reachesthe pointwhere
he says: Here I stand; I can do no other.' (Ichkannnichtanders,hier
steheich.59)At this point 'an ethie of ultimate ends [Gesinnungsethik]
and an ethicof responsibility[Verantwortungsethik] are not absolutecon-
trastsbut rathersupplements,whichonlyin unisonconstitutea genuine
man [echten Menschen]a man who can have the callingfor politics'.60
Thus Weber'swholeor 'genuineman' representsa synthesisof char-
ismaand asceticism.He doesnot havethe totalfreedomof llisDionysian
predecessorin the earlierformulationof charisma;yet he is not without
warmth.His soul is 'free'to expressitselfpassionatelyin defenceof an
ethie of responsibility.
If the concernsbehindthis synthesisare considered,one sees,on the
one hand, that WebersharesDostoevsky'sfear that genuinelyhuman
eonductwill be eliminatedinthe'crystalpalace'of modernsociety,6lbut
on the otherhand,he is not willingtotallyto endorsethe irrationalas a
solution.In the contextof politicalpower,he couldnot acceptDostoev-
sky'sview that 'twotimestwo makesfiveis sometimes. . . a verycharm-
ing . . . thing'.62Actually,when two times two makesfive or threeor
whatever,asin I984, oneis in the presenceof arbitraryandirresponsible
power, and it is this arbitraryand irresponsiblepower that Weber
rejectsmost clearlyin his Enalview of charisma.
Insteadof Dostoevsky'sequation,WeberwouldhavepreferredWin-
ston Smith'sconclusionthat if 'the freedomto say that two plus two
make four . . . is granted,all else follows'.63In the senseintendedby
Smith, the equation representswhat Weber meant by objectivity,
proportion,and passion.In short,it suggeststhat passionateresponsi-
bility forthe past, the present,and the futureis the primarysourceof
genuinelyhumanbehaviour.
Marlow
A usefulliterarymodelof Weber'snew charismaticman may be found
in the eharacterof Marlowin Conrad'sHeartof Darkness. SpeciScally,
Marlowwas able to rise above the mere conventionsand prejudices
of his time to considerthe ultimatemeaningof his conduct.In Weber's
terms,he was awareof a 'responsibility for the consequencesof his con-
duet and ... [felt] such responsibilitywith heart and soul'.64His

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An analysisof Weber's
workoncharisma 89

meetingwith the Intended,in which he reportsKurtz'slast wordsto

have been her nameratherthan an exclamationof horror,clearlysug-
gestsan ethic of responsibilityratherthan an ethic of absoluteends.
Moreover,althoughMarlow admiredand defendedthe daemonic
Kurtz againstthe faithlesspilgrimsand weak-eyeddevilsof the com-
pany, he still recognizedthat Kurtz was hollow and condemnedhim
for his lack of restraint.Only Marlowwas able to avoid both the dis-
solutionof uncontrolledreleaseand the thoughtlessand banal cruelty
of irresponsibleconvention.
ETHICS AND SCIENCE

It followsthat MarlowratherthanKurtzwouldrepresentthe soberand

matureheroof the politicalessay.Yet the meaningof Weber'ssolution
is lessclear.Doesit representsimpleadvocacy,an arbitrarypreference,
a personalvaluejudgment;or is it intendedas a 'sociologicalethic'?
Closereadingof Weber'sessayon 'Scienceas a Vocation'(Wissenschaf
als Beruf)suggeststhe latter position,in that V9eberclearlyuses this
essayto establishan affinitybetweenscienceand the 'preferred'ethicof
responsibility.
In thisessay,Weberadmits,indeedinsists,thatscienceis not the 'way
to truebeing,. . . to trueart, . . . to truenature,. . . to trueGod, . . . to
true happiness. . .'; and he agreeswith Tolstoithat sciencecannottell
us: 'What shall we do and how shall we live?'65It cannot do this,
Weberargues,because'the ultimatelypossibleattitudestowardlife are
irreconcilable,and hencetheirstrugglecan neverbe broughtto a final
conclusion'.66 Consequently,'scientificpleadingis meaninglessin prin-
ciple becausethe varioussplleresof the world stand in irreconcilable
conflictwith eachother'.67In lightofthis position,one couldarguethat
Weberfound himself'the possessorof an albatross-concept of science,
which,likethe mariner'sbird,leftone with no opportunityforrestand,
in an ultimatesense,had no rationalmeaningat all'.68
In fact,however,Weberfoundin the limitsof sciencean occasionnot
for despairbut for 'moralachievement'.69 In the contextof divergent
values, he sas scienceas providingnot choice but clarity.That is, 'if
you take such and such a stand [hold such and such a value], then,
accordingto scientificexperience,you have to use such and such a
means to carry out your convictionpractically'.70Similarly,'if you
want such and such an end, then you must take into the bargainthe
subsidiaryconsequenceswhichaccordingto all experiencewill occur'.7l
In this way, sciencecan help the individual'givehimselfan accountof
the ultimatemeaningof his own conduct'.72And becauseit does this,
Weberargues,science'standsin the serviceof "moral"forces;[it] . . .
fulfilsthe duty of bringingaboutself-clarification and a senseof respon-
sibility'.73
In short,sciencemakesmeaningfulchoicepossible,in the sensethatit

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9o Thomas
E. DowXnr.
allowsone to makechoicesthatinvolve'accountabilityto the socialand
politicalforcesof one'sage'.74Yet sciencecannotmakethesechoicesfor
us; it cannot speak directlyof values or good intentionsbut only of
meansand consequences.And for this reason,scienceis associatedwith
an ethic of responsibilityratherthan an ethic of ultimateends. From
thisit seemsreasonableto concludethatit wasWeber'sintentionto pro-
vide a form of intellectuallegitimationfor this ethic and for the new
charismaticleadershipthat was to followit.
One can also argue that Weber wished to associatehis modelsof
political and scientificman with a theory of human development.
Specifically,he refersthroughoutboth vocationalessaysto 'genuinely
human conduct',75to 'a genuine man',76to acting 'like a man',77to
somethingbeing worthyof 'man as man',78to 'a matureman',79and
then associatestheseoptimalbut nonspecificstatesof personaldevelop-
mentwith the specificcharacteristics of the Berufpoliticianor scientist.
This view of personaldevelopmentis partof a majorclassicaltradition
in Westernthought.It also correspondsto contemporarydefinitionsof
personalor politicalmaturity.Davies'argument,80 for example,tllat a
matureman is one who can recognizeand acceptthe consequencesof
his own choicesand the choicesof othersas they affecthimselfand the
polityat large,is the equivalentof the argumentadvancedby Weberin
the vocationalessays.The uses and limitationsof tllis or any theory
of human developmentwill be examined more fully later in tllis
paper.
Summary
In the new charismaticmodelof the vocationalessays,Weberspecific-
ally condemnsthe qualityof irresponsiblereleasewhichis inllerentin
all formsof the originalcharismaticformulation.This condemnation
mustthen be appliedboth forwardsand backwardsin time; that is, to
suchmanifestations in the pastas well as to suchpossiblemanifestations
in the future.Of the latter,of course,Webercouldknownothing,and
in thisrespectlle wasfortunate.Forit wasnot the newcharismabut the
old that was to controlGermanyin the yearsafterhis death;his hopes
forthe eliminationof charismatic irresponsibilitywerenotrealizedeither
in his timeor ourown.
WhatremainedafterWeber'sdeathwasa newdefinitionof charisma.
Yet it was an ambiguousdefinition,in that by locatingcharismaErmly
within the structuresof everydaylife it removedfromit all its extra-
ordinaryand distinctiveexternalcharacteristics. In a sensethen,Weber
'advancedwhathe had earlierdiscussedas the historical"routinization
of charisma"to the level of a "pure type" of charismaticleadership
. . .'81 This type, however,is revealedonly in the heightenedpassion,
feelingof responsibility,and senseof proportionwhichdistinguishes one
man fromanother.Yet suchdistinctionsare by theirvery naturequite
difficultto make.This is not to suggestthat the new charismaticmodel

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An workoncharisma
analysisof Weber's 9I

is undesirable,or even intellectuallyindefensible,but only that it pre-

sentsgreatif not insuperableanalyticaland conceptualdifficulties.

THE EVALUATION OF CHARISMA

Weber'sanalysisof charismain the vocationalessayswas both value

freeand value relevant,in that he discussedthe consequencesnormally
associatedwith a charismaticethic of ultimateeIldsand then judged
theseconsequencesin termsof a value relevantmodelof personaland
social development.Yet even in the latter case, it can be arguedthat
the linkageof personalgrowthand developmentwith choice, respon-
sibilityand, by extension,participationis not a merevaluejudgment.
Rather,it is possibleto suggestthat it representsa majorsuppositionof
classicaldemocratictheorywhich has been supportedat leastinferent-
ially by recentfindings.82
Havingsaidthis,we are stillnot preparedto arguethat thismodelof
personal and social developmentis necessarilyconclusive. Indeed,
recognizingthe difficultiesassociatedwith the evaluationof competing
developmentalperspectives,it seems preferablesimply to state the
'preferred'position,and to suggestits place in the originalcharismatic
context.Specifically,if humangrowthand developmentare associated
with the opportunityto participate,with the willingnessand abilityto
choose, and with a readinessto assumeresponsibilityfor the conse-
quencesof one's choices,it seemsclear that on balancethese qualities
arenot encouragedin noninstitutional charismaticcommunities.
In short, the requirements of the revolutionary charismaticcom-
munityare necessarily at odds with the developmental perspectivead-
vanced by Weber in the vocational essays.It is this conflict that is
behind Weber's rejection of the noninstitutionalcharismatic commun-
ity. In its place, he sought a new integrationof charismaand ascet-
icism.That thissynthesiswasnot achievedinhis lifetimemaysuggestits
essentiallyromanticor utopiannature.Indeed, to speakseriouslyof a
genuinepath betweenthe lifelessnessof everydayconventionand the
dissolutionof total charismaticreleaseis to speaknot primarilyof his-
tory but ratherof hope the hopethat passionin the serviceof an ethic
of responsibilitymight yet rescueman from the immaturityand in-
humanityof bothunexaminedroutineand irresponsible release.Weber
held this hope as both a manand a scholar,and,in a periodnot extern-
allyfavourableto its realization,advisedhis studentsto 'setto workand
meetthe demandsofthe day'in termsof suchan ethicalcommitment.83
Conclusion
In Econo?7tyand SocietyWeberdevelopedthree ideal typical modelsof
authority: traditional,rational-legal,and charismatlc.Eacll model,
in turn, rested on a differentprincipleof legitimacy;that is, on the
sanctityof the past,or the rationalityof law, or the personalgraceof a

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92 ThomasE. Dow 31zr.

noninstitutional figure.Thus charismais introducedaspartof a formal

typologicalsystem.In this sense,its utility forpurposesof definitionis
independentof the value one attachesto it. Yet in Weber'svaluerele-
vant philosophyof historythissame charismaticqualityclearlyserves
as a vehicleof personalfreedomin oppositionto the progressivebureau-
cratizationand rationalizationof everydaylife. However,Weberulti-
mately came to rejectthis uncheckedvellicle of freedom.Since it did
not providean occasionfor responsiblechoice or an opportunityfor
personaldevelopment,he could not acceptit.
Instead,he offereda new synthesisof restraintand release,in which
the grace of charismawas to be guided by an ethic of responsibility.
This ethic, in turn, was found to have an affinitywith science,in the
sensethat while sciencecannotchoosefor us,it can demonstrateto us
thatourownchoicesarein factresponsible.(In the senseintendedhere,
choiceswhich involve 'accountabilityto the socialand politicalforces
of one'sage'84areresponsible.)It doesthisby clarifyingboththe means
necessaryto achieveour statedendsand the consequencesnormallyto
be anticipatedin connectionwith these ends.
Finally,in tracingWeber'sjourneyfromthe charismaof releaseto
the charismaof passionateresponsibility,we see the applicationof the
path outlinedin the vocationalessays:Afterconsideringthe natureof
charismaand the consequencesassociatedwithit, and engaginghis own
values,Weber'tooka stand'regardingcharisma.He then invited his
studentsat the vocationallecturesto undertakea similarjourney;that
is, in effect,to investigatein the light of tlleir own ultimatevaluesthe
meaningof charisma.And, by extension,we too are invitedto Ex the
place of charismain our own ethicaland intellectualuniverse.
ThomasE. Dow jtnr., A.B., A.M., PH.D.
Professorof Sociotogy
State Universityof J\ew York
Purchase,AfewYork
Notes
I. Max Weber, Economyand Society son and TaIcottParsons,trans.), edited
(GuentherRoth and ClausWittich,ed.), with an introductionby TalcottParsons,
New York,BedminsterPress, I968; and New York, Oxford University Press,
Max Weber, 'Politicsas a Vocation' in I 947, pp. 36 I-2.
Hans Gerth and C. Wright Mills (eds), 5. Weber, I968, Op. cit., p. I I I2.
FromMax Weber:Essaysin Sociology, New 6. Weber, I968, Op. Cit., p. I I I5.
York, OxfordUniversityPress,I gs8a. 7. Weber, I968, Op. Cit., p. I I I5.
2. Weber, Igs8a; op. cit.; and Max 8. Weber, I968, Op. Cit., p. I I I 7.
Weber, 'Scienceas a Vocation'in Hans 9. Weber, I968, Op. Cit., p. I I I5.
Gertll and C. Wright Mills (eds), From IO. Weber, I947, Op. Cit., p. 362.
Max Weber:Essays in Sociology,New I I . Weber, I 968, Op. Cit., p. I I I 7.
York,OxfordUniversityPress,Igs8b. I2. Weber, I968, Op. Cit., p. I I I7.
3. Weber, I968, Op. cit., p. I I I2. I3. Weber, I968, Op. Cit., p. I I I3.
4. Max Weber, The Theoryof Social I 4. Weber, I 947, Op. Cit., p. 359.
andEconomicOrganization (A. M. Hender- I 5. Weber, I 968, Op. Cit., p. 40 I .

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 workoncharisma
Ananalysisof Weber's
93
6. Weber, I968,0p. cit., p. 535. 48. Weber, Igs8a, op. cit., p. I I6.
I7. Weber, I968,0p. cit., p. 535. 49. Weber, Igs8a, op. cit., p. II6.
I8. Weber, I968,0p. cit., p. 535. 50. Weber, Igs8a, op. cit., p. I28.
I9. Weber, I947,0p. cit., p. 359. 5I. Weber, Igs8a, op. cit., p. I I5.
20. William Arrowsmith, 'Intro- 52. Weber, I gs8a, op. cit., p. I I 6.
duction to the Bacchae' in Grene and 53. Weber, Igs8a, op. cit., p. I20.
Lattimore, TheComplete GreekTragedies, 54 Weber, Igs8a, ops cits, ps I I5
Volume IV, Chicago, The University of 55 Weber, I958a, ops cits, ps I I5
ChicagoPress,I958,p.537. 56. Weber, Igs8a, op. cit., p. I27.
2I. Ibid., p. 537. 57. ThomasMann,Buddenbrooks, New
22. Ibid, p. 537s York,Knopf, I967.
23. Weber, I968,0p. cit., p. 467. 58. Weber, Igs8a, op. cit., p. II5.
24. Weber, I968,0p. cit., p. 40I. 59. Weber, Igs8a, op. cit., p. I27.
25. Weber, I968,0p. cit., p. 422. 60. Weber, Igs8a, op. cit., p. I27.
26. Weber, I968,0p. cit., p. III6. 6I. Fyodor Dostoevsky, Notes from
27. Arrowsmith, op. cit., pp. 539-40. Underground, New York, E. P. Dutton,
28. Arrowsmith, op. cit., p. 540. I 960, p. 3 I .
29. James V. Downton, Jr., Rebel 62. Ibid., p. 30.
Leadership: Commitment andCharisma in the 63. GeorgeOrwell, I984, New York,
Revolutionary Process, New York,The Free The New AmericanLibrary,I949, p. 69.
Press, I973,p.273. 64. Weber, Igs8a, op. cit., p. I27.
30. Weber, I968,0p. cit., p. II56. 65. Weber, I gs8b, op. cit., p. I 43.
3I. Arthur Mitzman, The IronCage: 66. Weber, I gs8b, op. cit., p. I 52.
An HistoricalInterpretation of Max Weber, 67. Weber, Igs8b, op. cit., p. I47.
New York,Knopf, I970,p.304. 68. Mitzman,op. cit., p. 255.
32. Weber, I947,0p. cit., p. II5. 69. Weber, I gs8b, op. cit., p. I 47.
33s Weber, I947,0p. cit., p. II7. 70. Weber, I gs8b, op. cit., p. I 5 I .
34s Weber, I947,0p. cit., p. II7. 7I . Weber, I gs8b, op. cit., p. I 5 I .
35. Joseph Conrad,Heartof Darkness, 72. Weber, I gs8b, op. cit., p. I 52.
New York,W. W. Norton & Co., I97I. 73 Weber, I 958b, op. cit., p. I 5
36. Weber, I968,0p. cit., p. III7. 74. Mitzman,op. cit., p. 229.
37. Weber, I968,0p. cit., p. III5. 75 Weber, I958a, op. cit., p. I I5.
38. Weber, I968,0p. cit., p. III3. 76. Weber, Igs8a, op. cit., p. I27.
39. Weber, I968,0p. cit., p. III3. 77 Weber, I 958b, op. cit., p. I 55.
40. Conrad,op. cit., p. 63. 78. Weber, I gs8b, op. cit., p. I 37.
4I. Conrad,op. cit., p. 7I. 79. Weber, Igs8a, op. cit., p. I27.
42. JeromeThale, 'Marlow'squest'in 80. James Davies, Human;Naturein
R. Kimbrough,Heartof Darkness,New Politics:TheDynamics of PoliticalBehavior,
York, W. W. Norton & Co., I97I, p. New York, John Wiley & Sons, I963,
I80. pp. 324-5
43. Ibid., p. I80. 8I. Mitzman,op. cit., p. 249.
44. Weber, Igs8a and b, op. cit. 82. Peter Bachrach, The Theoryof
45s Weber, I958a, ops cits, ps II5s Democratic Elitism: A Critique,Boston,
46. Max Weber, Gesammelte Politische Little, Brown and Company, I 967,
Schriften,Tubingen, J. C. B. Mohr, Pp. 98-9.
I958C,ps533 83. Weber, I gs8b, op. cit., p. I 56.
47s Weber, I958a, op. cit., p. II5. 84. Mitzman,op. cit., p. 229.

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