Napoleon Bonaparte should be considered a “benevolent despot” to a near-full extent because while some may argue that Napoleon’s political actions were solely based on self-empowerment due to him limiting the voice of the people, it is important to note that Napoleon’s regime was designed for the purpose of benefiting French society as a whole by implementing various French Revolutionary ideals such as the promise of equal rights amongst all citizens. Hence, through incorporating such ideals, Napoleon was able to gain the support of his subjects, and therefore was able to further expand his empire. Lyons, Martin. Napoleon Bonaparte and the Legacy of the French Revolution. London: Macmillen, 1994. Print. Women and the Napoleonic code written …show more content…
by Bonnie G. Smith in London in the year 1994. Smith’s purpose for writing this article was to portray Napoleon’s actions as a method of self-empowerment as he is depicted as a ruler who is limiting the voices of a large group of his subjects, in order to promote his own regime. This source supports the counterargument of my big thesis. This can be seen as the article establishes Napoleon’s oppressive stance against women. His actions of limiting the voices of a major section of the French population, goes against the policy of resistance against oppression, which was established during the French revolution through the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen. Thus, this supports the counterargument of my big thesis by presenting Napoleon as a ruler who uses his power in order to assist his own political stature and regime. Smith, Bonnie G.
Changing Lives: Women in European History Since 1700. Lexington, M.A: D.C. Heath, 1989. Print. Napoleon Bonaparte and the Legacy of the French Revolution written by Martyn Lyons in the year 1989. Lyons purpose for writing this article was to inform the audience of the significance of Napoleon’s rule. The article argues that Napoleon’s regime was the fulfillment of the “bourgeois” of the French Revolution. This source supports the argument of my big thesis because it depicts Napoleon as upholding the French Revolutionary ideals of the “bourgeoise”. Such ideals included the abolition of aristocratic privilege, which subsequently aided in providing equality amongst all citizens of France. The article also goes on to illustrate Napoleon’s strict codes against corruption and favouritism within the French Government. In addition, it is also stated in the article that Napoleon’s policies placed great importance of public affairs being dealt through strict regulations, as opposed to being at the mercy of a Monarch's whim. Therefore, this reflects the French Revolutionary ideal of Liberty as the French citizens were no longer under the clemency of the Monarch. Thus, this supports the argument of my big thesis by showing the French Revolutionary of liberty and equality being incorporated within Napoleon’s …show more content…
regime. Sailus, Christopher. The Napoleonic Empire: Military and Economic Expansion. Print. The Napoleonic Empire: Military and Economic Expansion was written by Christopher Sailus who had earned a masters degree in History. His intentions in writing This document, was to inform high school and college students about Napoleons accomplishment of expanding the French Empire in an eight year span (1804-1812). This source supports the argument of my big thesis because it portrays France as a prospering nation under Napoleons Rule. This is seen as the document reveals the economic development of France due to the expansion of the land, which opened up newer trading routes. Furthermore, the expansion of the French Empire under Napoleons rule, further reveals his dominant yet Benevolent, stature as the ruler of France. Therefore, this source supports the argument of my big thesis as Napoleon is being portrayed as a benevolent ruler by expanding the French Empire, which subsequently lead to more opportunities for the Citizens of France. Bonaparte, Napoleon. The Napoleonic Code. France. 1804. print. Articles 7 and 8 of the Napoleonic code was placed into effect by Napoleon Bonaparte in the year 1804 in France. The purpose for the establishment of these two articles was to fulfill the French Revolutionary ideal of equal rights amongst all citizens of France. This source supports the argument of my big thesis because it illustrates Napoleon’s strict belief regarding the equality of all citizens.
The articles goes to express the importance of civil rights for every Frenchman, regardless of their social status of condition. Napoleon’s installments of these articles also incorporates the virtues of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, which places public equality as an utmost necessity. Thus, Napoleon’s action of preserving the French revolutionary ideal of equality through the Napoleonic code, supports the argument of my big thesis. Bonaparte, Napoleon. Soldiers of My Old Guard. Fontainebleau: Napoleon Bonaparte, 1814. Speech. Soldiers of My Old Guard was a speech given delivered by Napoleon in the year 1814. The speech which was directed to the soldiers of Napoleons guard, in order to thank them for their devotion and services which started from the very moment he stepped into power, and ended with his exile. This source supports the argument of my big thesis by revealing the compassionate side of Napoleon. Moreover, the document also glorifies napoleons reign as the Emperor of france, by indicating his various victories, which helped expand the French Empire. The speech reveals the joyous emotions of Napoleon as he reflects upon his time as emperor. Thus, through the portrayal of Napoleon as being a compassionate leader, my argument of Napoleon being a Benevolent leader is further
supported. Bonaparte, Napoleon. Address to the Troops on the Conclusion of the first Italian Campaign. Napoleon Bonaparte: 1797. France. Speech. Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte delivered this speech to his troops on the year 1797, during their first Italian campaign. The French soldiers were lacking food and shelter, and it was up to Napoleon to motivate them, in order to continue his war efforts. This source supports the counterargument of my big thesis. This is seen as Napoleon exposes his selfishness in his efforts to empower his own political stature at the expense of the well being of his soldiers. This is seen as he demands that his soldiers continue their mission of conquest, even though they are ill-fed and weary. Napoleon pushes his troops forward at the expense of their safety, in order to solidify his position and prestige as the Emperor of France. Thus, the counterargument of my big thesis is seen through this source as Napoleons Benevolence is overruled through his selfish methods of self-empowerment.
On December 4 1808 Napoleon announced in the Madrid Imperial Decree, that "primitive rights are nullified in Spain" (Document 8). By conveying to a conclusion to benefits of the respectability and the Inquisition, and letting each well behaved subject to utilize them, he endeavors to pick up the Spanish laborers' support. Napoleon tries to give all of Europe equivalent rights. Notwithstanding, a year prior, in a letter to his sibling and King of Westphilia, Jerome Napoleon, Napoleon composes that he needs his sibling's "subjects to appreciate a higher level of freedom, correspondence, and flourishing until now obscure to the German individuals" (Document 7). While this makes Napoleon an equivalent rights advocate for everybody, he likewise states in the same letter, "I need this liberal administration to reinforce your government" (Document 7).
I guess you could say that when Napoleon is not on a horse, he’s Napoleoff it! In November 1799, the overthrowing of the French Directory caused its replacement with a three-member Consulate, and Napoleon became first consul, making him France’s leading political figure. Napoleon used his power to restore stability to post-revolutionary France and produced successful results. Two years after the making of the constitutional amendment that made him consul for life, Napoleon crowned himself as emperor of France. This raises the question, “Was Napoleon a Democratic Reformer?” Now, a Democratic Reformer is a person who changes the views and ways of the government for the good of the people. Concerning how he understands equality, how the people
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...
Napoleon supported the system of hereditary power. This was very contradicting to the ideal of the French Revolution which discourages hereditary privilege. “ It was clearly seen that for a great nation the only salvation lies in hereditary power, which can alone assure a continuous political life which may endure for generations, even for centuries.”
(the writer could not help herself) Napoleon is a timeless example of an enlightened despot. The Bible still has not fully recovered from the rationality of his church. His codified law system is still active in France and the great state of Louisiana. Mankind today clutches desperately at his social ideologies.
Nardo, Don. A. The French Revolution. San Diego, California: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 1999. Print.
In order to investigate the claim that ‘Napoleon betrayed the revolution’, it has to be determined what is the French revolution? And what are the revolutionary ideals that Napoleon allegedly betrayed? If Napoleon betrayed the Revolution then he betrayed the ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity. However if Napoleon did not betray the revolution, he consolidated the revolutionary ideals. The only way of determining whether Napoleon consolidated or betrayed the revolution is to explore his actions such as his military success, Dictatorship and social reforms. The difficulty of this analysis is that Napoleons motives for his actions determine whether he consolidated or betrayed the Revolution.
Napoleon's entire reign started with the constitution. After all the economic trouble in France there was a need for a new constitution, so Abbe Sieyes asked Napoleon to secure the success of the new constitution that was based on a principle of "confidence from below, power from above." Bonaparte was a very decisive individual, so he did not pay much attention to Sieyes and established his own Constitution of the Year VIII. This constitution made him the First Consul and had an overwhelming success. After convincing his subjects that the establishment of the dynasty was unavoidable, Bonaparte created another constitution, which made him an Emperor of the French. During the French Revolution, constitution was an important idea. In fact, all the revolutionary ideas were summarized in the Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen. Napoleon pursued this concept.
Napoleon’s Civil Code was introduced in March 1804 as France’s first set of coherent laws that replaced a system of secularity, inequality and constitutionally flawed governance which failed in being able to “maintain…liberty” in cases such as women’s rights and freedom of religion. The Civil Code was said to be the highlight of Napoleonic rule as well as his personal crowning achievement in changing the country from an era of anarchy, death and extreme Jacobin rule into a leading power amongst Europe which paved the way into modern politics with judicial matters (universal equality before law), fundamental democracy and most importantly unification of France as a whole. This essay will be questioning the motives behind the actions he took,
... changes and as President of the Legislative Body his political skills were crucial” (Robert Gildea, Barricades and Borders: Europe 1800-1914, pg 169). However with de Mornys untimely death, the Emperor’s failing health and his difficulty with foreign policies it became more difficult for Napolèon to continue his work at liberalizing his empire. Napolèon began his reign as an authoritarian ruler however during his control he became more liberal by making even more and more concessions to liberalize the French Empire.
Napoleon Bonaparte was an interesting ruler in that he was compromised of attributes of both a tyrant and a hero. Napoleon had a strong following throughout his reign and even during his two exiles. He was the emperor of France between 1799 and 1815, following the fall of the Directory. Despite the efforts of the French Revolution to rid the country of an autocratic ruler, Bonaparte came to power as Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte I in 1804. He claimed that he preserved the goals of the Revolution, which can be easily argued as his rule became more dictatorial as it progressed. Despite his departure from some of the gains of the Revolution, he overall was a hero for the French people. Through his military ventures, political changes and social reform, Napoleon proved himself as a hero. This is not to say that there were aspects of his reign that were tyrannical, but he was overall beneficial for France.
Napoleon was a political mastermind. France was divided in the judicial system they used. Northern France practiced customary law from medieval tradition, while southern France used law evolved out of Roman code. However, Napoleon codified the law code into one code for the entire nation. This gave equality, freedom from arrest without process, equality of taxation and religious freedom. Jewish people were allowed to live anywhere they could afford and not be restricted to ghettos. The Napoleonic Code of law made France a nation of equality, rights and liberty, such qualities expressed in today's western society.
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.
Sparknotes editors. “Sparknote on The French Revolution (1789-1999)”. Sparknotes.com. Sparknotes LLC. 2005. Web. 1 Oct. 2013.
After years of distrust in the government and hatred towards the nobility, the French people rose up and started a revolution (The French Revolution). The Declaration of the Rights of Man, made in 1789, put the ideas of the French Revolution onto paper. They stated that all men are born equal and that they have the right to liberty and property, and security (Rogers, 2011). After the removal of the monarchy and the beheading of Louis XVI, the French entered the Reign of Terror. Being that there was no peace and the demands of the Declaration were still unmet, the French people at a very vulnerable state. Comtesse de Remusat proposed the very plausible theory that the French people only allowed Napoleon to rise to power because of their weakness. The idea of a republic caused fear in the people and they needed some sort of leader to take control and help France (Rogers, 2011). The sole reason for a revolution was to bring equality to all and the French still had not found that