Robert Tucker: The Power Of A Charismatic Leader

The Power of Charismatic Leadership There is something about the aura of a charismatic leader that distinguishes them from the rest. As Robert Tucker points out, a charismatic leader is “is not necessarily…[an] admirable individual.” Charismatic leaders “possess extraordinary qualities in order to be widely perceived over a period of time as a bearer of them” and “furnish signs or proof of the exceptional abilities or qualities for the sake of which [their] followers [have] personal devotion.” (p.737). They possess a supernatural effect on their following that challenges the stereotypical norm. Tucker describes this following as a “master and a servant” relationship where the master exerts a strong level of domination over the servant. In most cases, the followers are “under the spell of a leader and can accept [them] as …show more content…
The Senate couldn’t touch him, his enemies feared him, and the President couldn’t tame him. Particularly in the Senate, “Long literally paralyzed the Senate” by fill bursting bills that would be detrimental to the populist movement. He expressed his desire for defending the needs of bankers and businessmen where he expressed his disdain for the Morgan, Rockefellers, and Baruch. The passion, following, and momentum of Long made enemies quiver in fear; they didn’t know how to destroy him. Roosevelt saw Long as “one of the two most dangerous men in the country,” where he attempted to formulate ways to tame Long, but was unsuccessful. The administration labeled the Kingfish as a “dangerous foe” who needed to be silenced with a “showdown.” Unfortunately, for the President, that showdown resulted in Long sending in the message that he was going to choose “his own terms” on what to support with or without the President’s approval. (p.63) The Kingfish was against compromise because he had an oath of “spreading the wealth of the land among all people,” and he refused to break that oath to his servants.