A Critical Review of Weber's Charismatic Policy Theory

M. Asadollahnejad*

Abstract

In the Persian-speaking world, Weber is mainly known by Parsons' influential interpretation of his political sociology. Meaning that in our social science literature, Weber is described as the theorist of bureaucracy and iron cage. Weber's political sociology has received little attention comparing with charisma and its creative power. In this paper, we attempted to show how Weber interpreted people's creative power in modern politics. This interpretation opposed the importance of bureaucracy and helped emerge the quasi-charisma within a parliamentary and legal system. Focusing on the meaning of and origin of charisma, we argued that Weber's favorable modern politics was not a bureaucratic politics but a charismatic one. For this reason, we examined Weber's texts and commentaries. In the end, the impasse of Weber's conceptual system on the relation of parliament and charisma is explored.

Keywords: charisma, bureaucracy, democracy, quasi-charisma, bureaucratic politics, charismatic politics.

*. PhD student of political sociology, Tarbiat Modares University.

• < Prev
• Next >