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Napoleon Bonaparte’s attitude towards the French Revolution is one that has often raised questions. The fact that the revolution had an influence on Bonaparte’s regime cannot be denied – but to what extent? After Napoleon’s reign in France it is clear that he was able to bring about deeply desired order and stability. He established institutions that embodied the main principles of the revolution. ... Was Napoleon betraying the same revolution that gave him power, or was he merely a realist, who recognized that to unite the achievements of the revolution he needed to sacrifice some of those principles?
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. ... There were five regimes in the French Revolution between 1787 and 1800. However, despite this fragmented revolution the same fundamental principles guided most of the revolutionaries involved. ... It is generally thought that Napoleon was a supporter of these principles. Historian Georges Lefebvre wrote that Bonaparte was “…. ... In order to determine the validity of such a statement, one needs to examine institutions founded by Napoleon and conclude if they contained elements of these principles.
The most lasting and enduring of Napoleon’s achievements is the Napoleonic Code. ... It was lacking the foundation that was essential in order to institutionalize the triumphs of the revolution. That is until Napoleon drew up his own administrative framework. ...
In the lists of grievances given to Louis XVI just prior to the revolution, many had asked that French Laws be uniform. Where Louis had failed to respond, Napoleon acted. Thus he can be seen as building upon the revolution. Equality, a key principle of the revolution was consistently enforced in the code. ... The manner in which Napoleon efficiently used The Civil Code to centralize power in France is proof that he was following the ideologies of those behind the revolution, in particular the ideals of the 1793 revolutionaries, who were anxious for centralization. Napoleon once declared that “The revolution is frozen” and the code was his way of preserving achievements brought about by the revolution (Lyons, 1994).
One of the main grievances of those involved in the revolution was lack of advancement within society.
Approximate Word count = 1856
Approximate Pages = 7.4
(250 words per page double spaced)
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