Charismatic leadership

• Charismatic leadership


  A compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others
• Charismatic leaders can manipulate narratives to make themselves look good and inspire true devotion, even to the point of people being willing to follow, die, and kill for them
• Two examples of charismatic leadership

  • The cult of Mao
  • The swimming of the Yangtze
• Cult of Mao


  Mao had a god-like status and devotion from his followers even before he came to power, due to his actions and leadership during the Long March
• How the cult of Mao was maintained

  1. Propaganda flooding the country with Mao's image and stories

  2. Dismantling and undoing anything that competed with Mao's status

  3. Mao publishing the 'Little Red Book' which became instrumental in spreading the cult
• The 'Little Red Book' essentially replaced the bible and other holy texts for the majority of the population
• Mao's 'Hundred Flowers Campaign', where he asked for criticism, further solidified his charismatic image as being willing to listen to the people
• Mao was celebrated every time he left and returned to the government, as if the 'angels had come back to earth'
• Swimming of the Yangtze


  In 1966, at age 73, Mao swam the Yangtze river to prove he was still strong, as a publicity stunt to recapture the people's hearts amidst growing criticism
• Mao's swimming of the Yangtze river was turned into a national holiday and a major propaganda event, further solidifying his charismatic power
• Mao's simple act of swimming the Yangtze river, and his ability to move in and out of power, demonstrated his immense charismatic hold over the people