The French Revolution marked a time when many French individuals fought against monarchy and religion in order to establish principles of equality and freedom. The struggle resulted in extensive loss of life, leading to a division within the country between revolutionaries and monarchists. Napoleon Bonaparte emerged in France during this era. While initially relatively unknown, he began to gain popularity after acquainting himself with the influential nobility class.
Napoleon strategically distributed peaches as a means to gain supporters and assert control within the government. With remarkable speed, he ascended to power and ultimately became the nation’s chosen emperor, winning the election by a convincing 2,569 votes (Carroll, Napoleon Bonaparte). The French populace willingly relinquished their unfamiliar freedom in exchange for stability and triumph over adversaries. Demonstrating their allegiance, the people rallied behind Napoleon and pledged their obedience to his leadership. The revolution’s leaders embraced his rule, recognizing that under Napoleon, there would be no chance for the Bourbon dynasty to regain power.
However, the consequences of granting an individual such immense power were unknown. Napoleon’s rule saw both the success and failure of the goals of the French Revolution. Firstly, Napoleon’s reign exemplified absolute monarchy. The French Revolution aimed to dismantle the long-standing monarchy upheld by the Bourbon dynasty and establish a genuine democracy. The French populace grew weary and dissatisfied with dictatorship, desiring equal rights for all. Conversely, Napoleon harbored a reluctance to relinquish his power to the nation.
Although Napoleon was a remarkable leader, his actions did not align with the desired emperor of the revolutionaries. By establishing a dynasty, he contradicted their ideals and vision of a democratic nation. The goal of society was to remove the Bourbon dynasty from power, which they accomplished, only for Napoleon to seize control and establish a new dynasty. Consequently, he undermined the revolutionaries’ efforts to eliminate dynasties.
Before the Bonaparte dynasty, Napoleon was granted lifetime consulship and given absolute power. In 1804, he introduced the Napoleonic Code, also known as the Civil Code, which he personally designed based on monarchical principles without opposition. This code applied to all towns and cities under Napoleon’s rule, and obedience to it was compulsory for those under his control. Alongside being a monarch, Napoleon established the rule of one man as the First Consulate, Bonaparte (Coffin, 710-720).
Napoleon put an end to the revolution by implementing these new regulations. The third estate was content with the outcomes they achieved. Despite their inability to prevent Napoleon from becoming a dictator, they managed to abolish the exclusive privileges of the upper class and embraced Napoleon’s promise of safety. Although a monarchy went against the objectives of the French Revolution, the revolutionaries were pleased with the resolution. Additionally, Napoleon believed that every nation required a religious belief. He shared Voltaire’s enlightened notion that individuals needed religion in order to become better individuals and citizens.
According to Britannica, Napoleon understood that the French revolutionaries had abolished the clergy due to their corruption and dishonesty in taking people’s money. During the revolution, all the clergy’s lands were seized. Reports suggest that while on his journey to Egypt, Napoleon even considered converting to Islam and desired to establish his own empire that would coexist peacefully with the Church. Napoleon believed that religion was essential for a nation, and he instructed his army in Egypt to show respect and provide protection for other religions. Recognizing the benefits for his country, Napoleon realized that making peace with the Church was crucial.
The revolutionaries were against reinstating the Roman Catholic Church. Additionally, they tried to convince Poe Pius VI to speak with the French priests who had already accepted the terms of the Civil Constitution of Clergy. This law reduced the privileges of the Catholic Church in relation to the government. As a result, they signed the Concordat of 1801, which united the Church and the anti-religion revolutionaries. This agreement allowed all citizens to freely practice their religion, which was seen as an improvement from before.
Napoleon sought to create a stronger empire, but in doing so, he went against the French Revolution’s aim of removing the Church due to its perceived opposition to the revolution. Despite this, Napoleon introduced measures that supported equality within his nation, which aligned with the ideals of the revolution. However, he upheld gender inequality by endorsing male dominance and granting men more rights while expecting women to be submissive to their husbands.
In addition to lacking the right to divorce from their husbands, women were also denied various other rights that men enjoyed. Despite this, Napoleon implemented several important measures that aimed to establish equality in the country. The French Revolution was largely led by the bourgeoisie or the middle class, with their main objective being to achieve equality among social classes, although this goal was not fully attained despite their control over these classes. The new laws introduced by Napoleon supported the middle class in their pursuit of eradicating the privileges enjoyed by the upper class. These laws effectively abolished feudal privileges and granted freedom to peasants from their noble oppressors.
Napoleon sought to create a unified and equal state during his rule as a monarch. He aimed to conquer all of Europe and believed that a unified country with content citizens was essential for achieving this goal. While striving for equality for all, he sometimes disregarded unnecessary inequalities in pursuit of greater purposes. His ultimate objective was to promote the well-being of the majority and he successfully fulfilled the desires of the revolutionaries.
In retrospect, Napoleon can be seen as both meeting and failing to meet the expectations of the revolutionaries. While he aligned with their desire for change in some ways, his aspiration for monarchy conflicted with their goal of establishing democracy. Additionally, Napoleon hindered their efforts to abolish the Roman Catholic Church due to his belief in its role in governing and organizing society, despite the revolutionaries’ opposition to religion during the 17th and 18th centuries.
Napoleon re-established the Church, but he removed many of its privileges and granted freedom of worship to non-Christian religions. He successfully achieved the revolutionary vision of societal equality by abolishing feudal rights for nobles and ensuring social equality for most individuals. Despite some limitations on freedom of speech, everyone was considered equal in society. In conclusion, Napoleon’s reign saw the realization of certain goals from the French Revolution while others remained unfulfilled.
