Analysis Of Leadership Styles Of President Obama And Adolf Hitler In Terms Of Max Weber’s Theory Of Leadership

Max Weber was born in Germany in 1864. He attended the University of Heidelberg and the University of Berlin. He worked as legal apprentice and barrister until he received his PhD in 1886. Weber followed in father’s footsteps and became a professor at the University of Berlin. In 1897, he suffered a serious nervous breakdown and was unable to work for five years. His wife believed he had a breakdown due to his father’s sudden death. He continued to write even though he was experiencing insomnia and debilitating anxiety. Weber became famous after writing The Protestant Ethic. He created three ideal types of legitimate authorities. The different types of leaders explained by Weber has been studied all over the world.

The first type is rational legal authority which basically means that the organization is tied to the legal rationality, legal legitimacy and bureaucracy. The second type is traditional authority which is based on a tradition that is followed by the traditional leaders. Lastly, the charismatic authority is leadership derived by an individual with charisma, demonstrated by extraordinary feats, acts of heroism or revelations. The two political personalities that I’ve chosen to discuss is President Obama and Adolf Hitler.

President Obama’s influence and leadership are derived from both rational-legal authority and charismatic authority. As President of the United States, President Obama was granted the authority through process of election from a rational-legal system of laws which is outlined in the Constitution of the United States of America.

Max Weber would agree that President Obama’s charismatic authority and leadership style grant him strong influence among his followers. Many of his voters continued to show him uncompromising support regardless of popular opinion. Charismatic leaders can have both a positive and negative charisma. For example, some people did not believe in every view of Adolf Hitler. However, many believed in his beliefs and ideas that people praised, adored, and ultimately rallied behind him for. Like President Obama, Weber would also agree Hitler’s charismatic authority derives from his leadership style and those who followed him. Hitler acquired his status and power by charismatic leadership because he convinced the Germans that something completely new needed to be structured. He was also an example of charismatic authority because he became more than just a political leader among his followers.

Adolf Hitler was considered a symbolic figure in the eyes of a lot of Germans. Many people worshipped him and considered him to be a godly figure. People wanted to touch him for his blessing’s. They were so desperate for assurance that things would become better. He didn’t want to improve their economic issues instead he focused on shaming and blaming. President Obama was aggressive when communicating about issues of race and justice, particularly with African-American men. He has stated, "If you look at what happened with Michael Brown, if you looked at what happened after Trayvon, if you looked at the decision after Eric Garner, I'm being pretty explicit about my concern, and being pretty explicit about the fact that this is a systemic problem, that black folks and Latinos and others are not just making this up," Obama does not agree with any form of discrimination based on race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. For example, he stated "I think it’s very important for us not to send signals that anybody is treated differently.” In regards, he established an executive order that public school districts are to allow transgender students to use the bathroom that matches their gender identity. He has also been very open about being a feminist. He wants to be a great influence on his daughters so they will expect the same greatness from all men.

Since Obama became reelected in 2012 it’s proof that structural and racial issues are different from the days of W.EB. Du Bois. Du Bois is most well-known account of whiteness instructs that the maintenance of racial hierarchy in the United States which entails a payment in the form of social status, which helps secure acquiescence to capitalism. Weber and Du Bois were good men of decent political instincts who would not agree with Hitler’s style of leadership. According to the textbook, “Du Bois set the theoretical as well as empirical parameters in the field of race relations, and his recognition of the interconnections between race and class continues to steer sociological inquiry to this day” He realized that the conflict between race and democracy was not just a southern issue but was an issue across the world. He knew that during situations of social, political, and economical stress, democracy could expand and also retract all based on the color line and the endurance of racism. Hitler changed Germany to a one-party dictatorship, abolished all freedoms, took over police power, and used terror to achieve goals. Hitler was able to achieve this due to the lack of confidence in the democratic government. The Germans were desperate for a better life and improvements in their country. In result they decided to appoint Hitler as head of the German government. He was able to rally an army of many Germans based on his propagandist plan to create a Utopian society. Du Bois would not agree with presidency with racism or discrimination at it’s core. Hitler believed any ethnic group was superior to the Jewish one, which completely makes him a racist. He had a racist belief that an Aryan race was blond, blue-eyed, Germanic/Norse, and superior to everyone.

According to Brittanica.com,“ Hitler’s racist ideology, identifying the Aryan as the “genius” race and the Jew as the “parasite,” and declares the need for Germans to seek living space (Lebensraum) in the East at the expense of the Slavs and the hated Marxists of Russia. It also calls for revenge against France.”.

Hitler’s beliefs may have been very unorthodox, but many believed he was a political genius when it came to mastering his plans. Both Hitler and Obama were able to achieve overwhelming influence over their constituents through their power of charismatic authority.

Both Hitler and Obama’s leadership styles had unique and unprecedented impact during their ruling. Which has led me to conclude that the charismatic authority, as defined by Weber, is ultimately more powerful than either traditional or legal authority. Both Hitler and Obama behaved themselves in ways that broke with the traditional leadership in their respective countries up to that point. They both used the power of their charisma to change and re-define existing laws of their time. They also proved that ultimately, the power of a leaders’ charisma is the primary factor in how their follower perceive them and adhere to their direction.