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Dear Publius: Reflections on the Founding Fathers and Charismatic Leadership

Transformational and Charismatic Leadership: The Road Ahead 10th Anniversary Edition

ISBN: 978-1-78190-599-9, eISBN: 978-1-78190-600-2

Publication date: 27 June 2013

Abstract

Charisma holds a central place in discussions about leadership. The Founding Fathers were opposed to some forms of charisma but endorsed some as well. They sought to entrust government to select-people, like themselves, who could be trusted to rule for the many – in Bass (1998) terms, “socialized” as opposed to “personalized” charismatic leaders. This chapter responds to Publius, the authors of the Federalist Papers, to explain the problems the Founding Fathers’ fears have caused us in presidential elections, including that of 2000.

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgments

This chapter grew from work conducted in a seminar on political leadership in Spring 2001 at the Jepson School of Leadership Studies. I am delighted to acknowledge the contributions which its participants – Bethany Cooper, Matt Devine, Logan Dunn, Mariel Rodak, Beth Anne Newman, Jonathan Nichols, Ahern Schneider, Joshua Schreier, Bethany Smocer, Tim Sullivan, and Ben Tengwall – made to this chapter.

Citation

Couto, R.A. (2013), "Dear Publius: Reflections on the Founding Fathers and Charismatic Leadership", Transformational and Charismatic Leadership: The Road Ahead 10th Anniversary Edition (Monographs in Leadership and Management, Vol. 5), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 111-124. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-357120130000005012

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2013 Emerald Group Publishing Limited