Charisma and Responsibility
Max Weber, Kurt Eisner, and the Bavarian Revolution of 1918
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 7918670 |
|---|---|
| Authors | N S Hopkins (0000-0003-4087-5568, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2007 |
| Volume | 7 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 185-211 |
| Publication date | 2007-07-01 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Max Weber Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1470-8078 • E-ISSN: 2056-4074 |
| Publisher | Project MUSE (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1353/max.2007.a808910 |
| OpenAlex | W4379624170 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
Weber followed revolutionary change in postwar Germany closely, using his categories of charisma and responsibility to interpret developments. His views were especially affected by his attitude toward the leader of that revolution in Munich, the socialist Kurt Eisner. The history of Eisner's role in the revolution from October 1918 through his assassination in February 1919 illuminates Weber's theory of charisma and the role of the demagogue. Weber identified Eisner as a possible charismatic leader, and at the same time deplored his actions. The second part of the article examines two seminal texts of Weber from this postwar period. Contextualizing Weber's work enriches it and suggests a new understanding of the role of charisma in social change. Analysing Eisner's role in Weber's terms leads to a reinterpretation of that historical period, and also contains insights for other periods
Aesthetics · Charisma · Charismatic authority · Reinterpretation · Sociology · Theology · European Political History Analysis · Globalization, Historical Perspectives, and International Relations · Philosophy · Weber, Simmel, Sociological Theory
| Citations per year | 0.2 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2011 - 2022 (12) |
| Highly cited | No |