Charismatic authority almost always endangers the boundaries set by
traditional (coercive) or
rational (legal) authority. It tends to challenge this authority, and is thus often seen as
revolutionary.
[14][15] Usually this charismatic authority is incorporated into society. Hereby the challenge that it presents to society will subside. The way in which this happens is called
routinization.
By routinization, the charismatic authority changes:
[C]harismatic authority is succeeded by a bureaucracy controlled by a rationally established authority or by a combination of traditional and bureaucratic authority.
[16]
A religion which evolves its own
priesthood and establishes a set of laws and rules is likely to lose its charismatic character and move towards another type of authority. For example,
Muhammad, who had charismatic authority as "The Prophet" among his followers, was succeeded by the traditional authority and structure of
Islam, a clear example of routinization.
In politics, charismatic rule is often found in various
authoritarian states,
autocracies,
dictatorships and
theocracies. To help to maintain their charismatic authority, such regimes will often establish a vast
personality cult. When the leader of such a state dies or leaves office, and a new charismatic leader does not appear, such a regime is likely to fall shortly thereafter, unless it has become fully routinized.
[13]