Those who fought in the French revolution to for social justification, where there were zero classification based on color, cast and or creed. Demanding the differences or class to be prohibited, and that each citizen should be allowed equal rights as well as opportunities within the country. Where within the earlier stages of the society had isolated itself due to the basis of class, which conclusively proved, the catalyst needed to bring change. Ever since king Louie the XVI took power the economic conditions continued to worsen, which soon brought the people on the streets in Paris.
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.
On July 14, 1789 a mob of craftsmen, salesmen, and rebellious soldiers stormed the Bastille (state prison) to get powder and shot for their muskets. When the guards defending the prison resisted a battle ensued and the Bastille was eventually captured. This marked the beginning of the bloody French Revolution. The revolution in France was based on three principles, liberty, equality, and fraternity. These ideals radically changed European politics and brought about the idea of nationalism, which enabled the creation of the “people’s army” in France. The notion of national fraternity was a very powerful and paved the way for a renovation in how military affairs. How and why did the French Revolution factor in military change? The military
In 1804, the Napoleonic Codes were implemented, in which reformed laws. These codes were used to maintain Napoleon's views on order, security, and efficiency. Likewise, the codes maintained Enlightenment principles, which includes the people’s right of religion, equality, and advancements based on the values (Ellis 486). The Napoleonic Codes, however, undid most of the reforms that had been created during the French Revolution - mainly, the women’s rights of citizenship. Also, considering how Napoleon was considered to value authority over the people's rights, it is concluded that to a medium extent, men had gained more rights, whereas for women, to a low extent did the Napoleonic Codes advance the rights of women.
The French Revolution and Napoleonic years are very important to European history because they mark a time of great change and transformation, a time when Europe was in the thrall s of its rise to modernity. Two of the aspects of modernity brought to light during the French Revolution were the increasing importance of the middle class and the idea, though not necessarily the practice, of political liberty. However, some of strides made in France toward modern liberty were almost completely erased only a few years after the Revolution by Napoleon Bonaparte, who brought his own thoughts on modernity to Europe with the advent of nationalism and total warfare.
There were many things Napoleon considered a great triumph but there is one that is the greatest and this is called the Napoleonic Code. The Napoleonic Code did a lot of good for the French, the first good thing this code did for the French was it gave the country a set in stone, set of laws and it also eliminated any injustices. But this actually promoted order and authority over individual rights. An example of this is the freedom of speech, and press which was established during the revolution. This made it restricted under the code. Another good but bad thing was that the Napoleonic Code brought back slavery into the French colonies that were part of the Caribbean. There are many reasons Napoleon decided to change the current feudal system of laws and royal laws. Before the Napoleonic Code, there was no “Law” for the French to follow, and the royal and rich were very much treated better and had more privileges so during the revolution Napoleon decided that it would be the best to do away with the feudal laws. This was the set of laws he would use, and some of these laws are still in place, in france today.
Ultimately, the French Revolution led to a law system that was very much against the established principles of the Enlightenment thinkers. Napoleon Bonaparte became the first strong leader of the new France republic in 1799. He was a leader that often gave off the appearance of inclusion of the people in governmental decisions but placed the most importance on his own authority. Though universal suffrage had been established for white males, democratic principles were not exactly used for Bonaparte’s reign. He tampered with voting until he had himself elected as consul for life in 1802. In 1804, he established the Napoleonic Code which took away many rights women had gained during the Revolution, such as the equality they had in marriage. It
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military leader who became the emperor of France after the French Revolution, in the year 1804. Napoleon made his Civil Code to unify the laws of France. When he conquered Europe, he brought along ideas of the French Revolution such as equality under the law. His conquests also brought about nationalism in defeated countries, which would fuel the way for their own revolutions, such as in the Revolutions of 1848. The growth of conservatism at the Congress of Vienna was a reaction to Napoleon’s ideas, but it could not stop the new ideas that came from Napoleon’s reign.
The longest lasting effect of Napoleon Bonaparte's rule over France was his overseeing the implementation of a series of national laws collectively known as the Civil Code, or Code Napoleon. Code Napoleon was the successor to the idea’s stated in The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, While at first, Napoleon generally adhered to the philosophies of the French Revolutionist as created in The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, as time progressed, his absolute power allowed for corruption at the expense of the French people. Napoleon violated almost every principle in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen in order to benefit his own
Document 1 is describing the manner in which Napoleon ruled over the people of France. The purpose of this document is to show both the pros and cons of Napoleon's rule and in which was he both embodied ideas from the Revolution and strayed back to thinkings from the Old Regime. This document shows how Napoleon went away from the ideas of the French Revolution by forcing an administration system and protecting the ideas of absolutism by ruling authority.
The years 1750 to 1820 were characterized by the Seven Years’ War, the American and French Revolutions, and the Napoleonic Wars. These political events coupled with the drastic social change proven by the shift of power from the aristocracy and church to the middle class,
Liberté, égalité, fraternité was the cry of freedom that countless people used to propel them through, and to the end of the French Revolution. This long period of social, political and economic change in France lasted 10 years, starting in 1798 and ended with Napoleon Bonaparte. The French Revolution greatly affected all of Europe at the time and continues to represent the embodiment of revolution to this day. This constant struggle between the heavily taxed, burdened, and unrepresented third estate and those higher created an environment of monumental change for everyone. In the years leading up to the French Revolution, new beliefs and ideas were reaching every corner of Europe creating the thought that men should live free of oppression. However, in France the leader Louis XVI lead like a tyrant leaving the people impoverish and angry. Through the analysation of numerous circumstance present during the Ancien Régime, such as an inferior fiscal leadership, massive debt, and the forthcoming of new ideas during the Enlightened period, it can be concluded that the means for this revolution were justified as it is in our essence to revolt for a change.
Not only did Napoleon take control of neighboring countries to France, but he forced his administration, specifically the Napoleonic code, on them as well. When instituting the Napoleonic code, many people rejoiced over the enlightened ideas it spread and freedom it promoted. However, most, if not all of Napoleon’s positive reforms were done so with negative intentions or a counter force in mind. For instance, Napoleon restricted all information in and out of France that viewed him negatively or could potentially obstruct the submissive society he built. In fact, plays, newspapers, and books were censored, which kept his citizens in the dark. The deceit continued when Napoleon promised freedom for all people, but went back on his word once it was no longer convenient for him. For example, Napoleon was facing many
Napoleon Bonaparte established an authoritarian empire, and declared himself emperor. While this seems as far from a republic as possible, Bonaparte asserted many of the recent, liberal socioeconomic ideals of France into his policies. When the Code was published in 1804, it outlined the rights to freedom of religion, equality before law, rights of ownership, and abolition of feudalism. It writes, “Private persons have the free disposition of the property belonging to them, subject to the modifications established by the laws” (The Civil Code), and this absolute right to property benefitted peasant landowners greatly. Under the Civil Code, peasants reclaimed land and property that were under the possession of clergymen and nobility. Another principal idea of the Code was that all people would be equal before the law. All had a chance to improve their social status and gain wealth. As it stated in the first book, “Every Frenchman shall enjoy civil rights” (The Civil Code). These reforms concerning equality before the law were enjoyed tremendously by those living in lower classes during the Napoleonic era. However, despite these improved qualities in the Civil Code, there were elements that contrasted the ideals of the French Revolution as well. For example, the rights of women took a step back under Bonaparte’s policies. Under the chapter of marriage, it states that the wife owes “obedience to her husband” under Article 213 (The Civil Code). Generally, women would need the authorization and guidance of a husband or father in order to participate in the economy with trade or property care. During the Reign of Terror, discrimination against women had begun again, and was established firmly under the Civil Code (Bulliet, et al. 557). Freedom of press was
Many Historians have come to the decisive conclusion that the French Revolution, an event that characterises Modern European History, has changed Europe. It was a time period that took place prior to the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte, between 1789 and the late 1970s. it denotes a time period in which the French civilians were aroused unanimously in overturning the traditionalistic “institutions” such as the monarchy and the feudal system. Though the causes of such an event remain inexplicit, intriguing arguments can be drawn in considering an array of reasons that initially sparked it. One plausible assumption has been that it was merely the result of the assumed divine power that King Louis XVI had that ignited the civilians’ revolt. This is particularly acceptable, seeing that this event was draped in the uprooting ideals of Enlightenment. From this pivotal event in Modern History, Historians have gained an insightful scope of not only the evolution of peasantry and lower-societal revolts against an usurping power (i.e nobility) and in some occasions their demise, but have also gained insights into the unnoticed power of the working class. Ultimately the major havoc-inducing factor that led to the crisis of the Ancien Regime can be a derived from a state of hierarchal power. The division of class and the prestigious stance of the nobility helped rouse the