This refers to the editorial, “Chinnamma's State” (February 7). Tamil Nadu is witnessing a void after the demise of J Jayalalithaa, a charismatic leader. But such leadership always carries within it an inherent contradiction with democracy. Charismatic leadership is associated with hero-worship. And hero-worship emanates from a slavish mindset. Abraham lincoln had said, “As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.”
Charisma makes a person larger than the system and instills the ‘There is no alternative' (TINA) factor into our mindset. The ‘no alternative' belief is indicative of a thought which is against the principles of democracy. Thus, TINA and misplaced charisma make democracy slip into monarchy or autocracy. So, what we really need in a democracy is a popular leader and not a charismatic one — at least not in the sense that people begin to think that a leader is indispensable.