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portance of active mass democratization is that the political leader no longer becomes a
candidate because he is esteemed within a circle of political notables and then, as a result of
his work in parliament, becomes the leader. Rather, he wins his political power through
mass-demagogic means and holds it on the basis of the trust and confidence of the masses."
36 Because of the danger of caesarism he thought it implied, Weber at that time opposed
direct election of many state offices: "Every kind of direct election of the highest authorities,
and in fact every kind of political power that depends on the trust of the masses [and] not
parliament . . . is on the way toward this 'pure' form of caesaristic acclamation." 37 Caesaristic
leaders come to power either through the military (Napoleon I) or by direct appeal to the
people in plebiscites (Napoleon III). Both, Weber argued, are fundamental contradictions of
the parliamentary principle. 38
A year later Weber's views had changed. In "Deutschlands künftige Staatsform," he argued
for a "plebiscitary Reichspräsident" with power to appeal directly to the people in case of a
governmental deadlock, and he saw referenda as a means to resolve conflicts between the
federal and unitary agencies of the state. 39 Three months after "Deutschlands künftige
Staatsform" appeared and after Friedrich Ebert had been elected as the first Reichspräsident
by the National Assembly in Weimar, Weber wrote that ''future Reichspräsident(s) must be
directly elected by the people." 40 Although most of his misgivings about popular election
seemed to have been assuaged, an element of Weber's earlier fears remained. Presidential
power should, be balanced by parliamentary power and defined in such a way that it could be
used only "in temporarily insoluble crises (through a suspensive veto and the appointment of
bureaucratic ministers). But one must give him independent ground under his feet through
popular election. Otherwise the whole Reich structure will wobble in a parliamentary crisis—
and with at least four or five parties, these will not be infrequent." 41
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