Cian O’Brien
Napoleon was a French military leader and emperor who conquered much of Europe in the early 19th century. Born on the small island of Corsica, Napoleon quickly rose through the ranks of the military during the French Revolution. Napoleon is considered one of the world's greatest military leaders, but there is still controversy whether or not he held the ideals and goals from the French Revolution as emperor of France. But due to his pPolitical, sSocial and eEconomic achievements for France, Napoleon did uphold the goals of the French Revolution.
The first reason why Napoleon upheld the goals/ideals of the French Revolution was due to his pPolitical benefits for France. According to Source A “Napoleon reduced government
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This was a goal from the start of the Revolution because poorer people wanted the same and equal benefits as the higher class people but with corrupt officials in the government this need was impossible, and the wealthy had the advantage in society. But once Napoleon got rid of all corrupt government officials this made the goal of equality from the French Revolution possible for everyone and not just have benefits for the wealthy. Along with reducing government corruption Napoleon “brought order and stability to France and forged a sense of unity and equality”(Source B) This equality for everyone was a goal of the Revolution and order was especially a priority towards the end of the …show more content…
According to source A “Napoleon set up government run public schools known as Lycees and these schools would be attended by children of ordinary citizens as well as children of the wealthy.” (source A). This shows that both the people of the lower class and wealthy people are being treated fairly which was a goal of the French Revolution. Also these children that attended the schools could then be appointed to public office based off of merit rather than family connections. Which shows again that it isn't based on wealth or family name, anyone can achieve a position no matter where they come from. Also, “Napoleon established the Imperial University in 1808.” (Source K) Which made sure that everyone who wished to continue education would have a fair chance and could be competitive with the private schools. Which the goal of equality was a goal from the start of the Revolution. This shows that Napoleon upheld the goals of the French Revolution because prior to the Revolution only wealthy children would be educated and the poor children would never be given a chance and would be stuck working on the farms for the rest of their lives. But this change Napoleon made gave all the children a fair chance to become what they wanted, which gave equality of the poor and wealthy which was a goal of the Revolution. Another way that Napoleon upheld the
Firstly, in order to determine whether Bonaparte betrayed the revolution it is necessary to define what one means by “the revolution”. Clearly there never was just one French Revolution, but rather a series of revolutions. These occurred while the French struggled to create a new political and social system – one that would follow principles radically different to that of the ‘ancien’ regime. There were five regimes to French Revolution between 1787 and 1800. However, despite this fragmented revolution the same fundamental principles guided most of the revolutionaries involved. These principles included equality under law, centralisation of government, elimination of feudal rights, religious freedom and careers open to talent, not birth. In short, the three key principles were liberty, equality and fraternity. It is generally thought that Napoleon was a supporter of these principles. Historian ...
Napoleon Bonaparte had crowned himself Emperor of the Grand Empire in 1804 and believed himself to be equal to god with his own divinity. He had given émigrés that had taken a loyalty oath high positions in his government and recreated the imperial nobility. He believed that only the rich and talented deserved an education and higher paying jobs, while women and the lower class did not deserve any sort of education. Women had lost many rights they had gained in the 1790s and basically became the property of their fathers/husbands. (McKay, pp 607)
The French wanted to bring equality to all classes. The French revolution brought much more social change than the American revolution. Inspired by Lafayette’s declaration that, “no group, no individual may exercise authority not emanating expressly therefrom” (de Lafayette 783), the class system was destroyed. The revolutionaries were open to ending slavery, however women remained marginalized within the social structure of France. Similarly to the American revolution, the enlightenment ideas that drove the French revolution were not applied to society as a whole.
Beginning in mid-1789, and lasting until late-1799, the French Revolution vastly changed the nation of France throughout its ten years. From the storming of the Bastille, the ousting of the royal family, the Reign of Terror, and all the way to the Napoleonic period, France changed vastly during this time. But, for the better part of the last 200 years, the effects that the French Revolution had on the nation, have been vigorously debated by historian and other experts. Aspects of debate have focused around how much change the revolution really caused, and the type of change, as well as whether the changes that it brought about should be looked at as positive or negative. Furthermore, many debate whether the Revolutions excesses and shortcomings can be justified by the gains that the revolution brought throughout the country. Over time, historians’ views on these questions have changed continually, leading many to question the different interpretations and theories behind the Revolutions effectiveness at shaping France and the rest of the world.
Napoleon was able to grant French citizens natural rights, which was the main purpose of the Revolution, and use this to better society as a whole. For example, he used a plebiscite, vote of the people, to approve a new constitution that gave him power to rule. By getting the consent of the people to rule and to create and pursue certain actions in government, Napoleon used the governed as a ruling mechanism; he didn't ignore them. He created a system of meritocracy (what the people wanted): granting positions to those that deserved them based on qualifications, not just handing out jobs to people of higher social status giving “careers open to talent (Coffin and Stacey, 494).” Finally through his supremacy as French ruler,...
This was the basis of the education system Napoleon strived for. The Education reforms which Napoleon introduced in 1802 called lycees allowed this equality to occur and enhanced the way of learning for all of the citizens. Finally, the serious rift with the Roman Catholic Church (which was created during the French revolution) was healed when The Concordat was introduced by Napoleon. Mending the rift between the Church and State allowed freedom of religion and rejuvenated the beliefs within the people of France. This contribution to France ended in French domestic tranquility.
Napoleon maintained the Revolutionary system of conscription and encouraged promotion based on ability.... ... middle of paper ... ... Broers, Michael.
First, the French Revolution was a result of the failed estate system and the extreme economic and social inequality it led to. Under the rule of Louis XVI, the people of France were divided into three main social classes or estates as they are called. The First Estate featured wealthy members of the Church such as Bishops and Priests who held great political power due to their influence on government affairs. The Second Estate was a class comprised of the wealthy nobles and
During the Napoleonic reign, the biggest reform appeared to be the loss of hereditary rights of the upper class citizens. Before Napoleon became a king, a lot of jobs were inherited. The purchase of the offices was rather common and skills were not required. Revolution believed in equality. Napoleon established that equality by granting everyone equal right to attempt the job. Now the positions were given out based on merit only. This change created fairness and limited the rights of the nobles at the same time. France was not the only country that felt the influence of the Napoleonic reform. Italian and German aristocrats were overthrown as well, and the weakening of the Spanish nobility even led to the revolt.
The efforts made evident by the French Revolution were denigrated by Napoleon Bonaparte’s wrongdoings as Emperor of France. Napoleon’s speedy rise to power, the lessening of freedoms he imposed, and the many military mistakes he committed completely demolished many of the hopes and dreams of the enlightenment philosophes whose influence began the Revolution in the first place. Nevertheless, Napoleon Bonaparte was a highly influential human being who taught the world many important lessons, such as the horrors that can follow the actions of greedy power.
One of Napoleon’s first areas of concern was in the strengthening of the French government. He created a strong centralized government and pretty much got rid of the hundreds of localized law codes that had existed during under the control of the monarchy. He also created an army of government officials. He had the entire country linked under a rational administration. He also was able to get an easy supply of taxes and soldiers under his new and improved French government. Before he could get very far, however, he had to gain public favor and shape the public opinion. To do this he used reforms of propaganda and thus caused people to think that they were getting the better end of the deal, but were actually, subconsciously giving Napoleon their approval for his actions. Among some of the methods he used for propaganda included getting all of the printers and book sellers to swear an oath to Napoleon and all newspapers fell under state control, so Napoleon gained access to almost everything that the citizens of France were able to read. Many of the gains from the French Revolution were kept, such as equality before the law, and careers open to talent. Some anti-revolution actions that Napoleon took included repressing liberty, restoring absolutism, and ending political liberty. He believed that allowing political freedom would end with a state of anarchy. He believed that he could solve these problems by acting in favor of the people’s interests as an enlightened desp...
He is often praised for his promotion of religious tolerance, however, they often ignore the reason why. He did everything he could to close the divide between church and state. This is because he believed that religion kept people mild and meek. It basically made it easier to control his people when there was no gap between church and state. He could influence politics a lot easier, claiming that this or that was what God wanted. And the people would believe it. Again while the Napoleonic code established many great things, it also hurt many other people, not including women. Workers were denied their right to collectively bargain, trade unions were outlawed, and children had no right at all. Napoleon specifically declared, “Madame you shall not go out, you shall not go to the theater, you shall not visit such and such person: for the children you bear, they shall be mine.” Not only taking many right away from women, but also basically saying that parents have no right to their children at all. Some also argue that Napoleon was a military genius and he cared for all his citizens. Some may argue that was revolutionary in his ideas of public education. It suggests that he wanted his people to be educated and independent but that does not change the fact that Napoleon has always been more concerned with his pride and his need to stay in power. Napoleon concocted a “system competent to curb the
With all the glory and the splendour that some countries may have experienced, never has history seen how only only one man, Napoleon, brought up his country, France, from its most tormented status, to the very pinnacle of its height in just a few years time. He was a military hero who won splendid land-based battles, which allowed him to dominate most of the European continent. He was a man with ambition, great self-control and calculation, a great strategist, a genius; whatever it was, he was simply the best. But, even though how great this person was, something about how he governed France still floats among people's minds. Did he abuse his power? Did Napoleon defeat the purpose of the ideals of the French Revolution? After all of his success in his military campaigns, did he gratify the people's needs regarding their ideals on the French Revolution? This is one of the many controversies that we have to deal with when studying Napoleon and the French Revolution. In this essay, I will discuss my opinion on whether or not was he a destroyer of the ideals of the French Revolution.
Napoleon was a French political leader that soared to power during the revolutionary wars. He led many campaigns that were very successful; meanwhile, his military campaigns are being studied all around the world. Napoleons influence gave his soldiers the courage to follow a leader with great power. Napoleon had a certain way to influence the people of France.
The social differences in France were very unreasonable. People openly argued that “social differences should not be defined by law, as they were in the old regimes order” (2). In France, much of the inequality came from the social class system. It led to angry peasants and tons of revolting. This could have been avoided if France maintained equality for all estates, as it would have been rational. In addition, the clergy and nobles were given many rights which “included top jobs in government, the army, the courts, and the Church” (109). This was very biased as they were able to get the highest jobs, not because they earned it, but because of their social stature. Meanwhile, commoners or bourgeoisie, were not granted those jobs even if they had the ability to do them. This caused much of the third estate to become mad which led to uncivilized manner in France. If the government had just given equal rights and granted jobs by merit opposed to social class rankings, there would have been less drama between the estates and everything would have been