Did Napoleon Betray the Revolution
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.If Napoleon betrayed the revolution, then he betrayed the ideals of Liberty, equality and fraternity. For it is ideals rather than realities that Napoleon allegedly betrayed. The reality of the French revolution is 8 periods of constant change and successions of policies and leaders, with each new leader and party brining amendments to the revolution. Napoleon's "coupd'e`tat of 18 brumaire was an insurance against both Jacobin revolution and Royalist restoration." The French people expected Napoleon to bring back peace, order and to
Gildea, Robert Barricades and Borders: Europe 1800-1914, Oxford University Press, New York 2nd edn, 1996 Furet, Francois 'Napoleon Bonaparte' in G, Kates(ed.) The French Revolution: Recent Debates and New Controversies Clarendon Press, Oxford (1997) Schroeder, Paul The Transformation of European Politics 1763-1848 Clarendon Press, Oxford 1994 Ellis, Geoffrey Profiles in Power: Napoleon, Longman, New York, 1997 Broers, Michael Europe Under Napoleon 1799-1815 Arnold, London, 1996 Napoleon to the French Nation, 15 Dec 1799, Howard, John Letters and Documents of Napoleon (London, 1961) p.428.
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