ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the ethics of charisma in leadership contexts. I argue that it is possible for leaders to use charisma without unreasonably setting themselves apart as exceptional and without showing disrespect for followers as rational beings. In some cases, we can understand attributions of charisma in terms of rational assessments of a leader’s potential to advance followers’ ends. I conclude, however, that political contexts do not lend themselves to this justification of charismatic leadership because of practical limits on what we can know about politicians’ willingness and ability to help us achieve our goals.
