Louis Napoleon Bonaparte

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Essay Title: - ‘The politics of Louis Napolèon Bonaparte were both authoritarian and liberal.’ Discuss with reference to the period 1848-1870.

Louis Napolèon Bonaparte was definitely both authoritarian and liberal in his politics. It must be said that Napolèon was extremely authoritarian, anti-parliamentary and above all else Bonapartist at the beginning of his reign as President of France in 1848. He maintained press censorship, was on good terms with the clergy, he supported unofficial politicians in the elections for the Legislative Corps and deprived the Parliament the right to debate freely on issues. However the ‘Authoritarian Empire’ did not last forever. In the 1860’s Napolèon III relaxed on press censorship, he allowed open debates in Parliament, he promoted economic growth and urban rebuilding projects, he constructed more railways which benefited the poor. He expanded credit, authorized a liberal trade treaty with Britain in 1860 and permitted the legalization of strikes in 1864. So therefore “It went slowly to begin with, giving the appearance that it was driven more by the need to conciliate opposition out of weakness rather than being from principle and out of strength” (Robert Gildea, Barricades and Borders: Europe 1800-1914,pg 163)

After the revolution of 1848 Napolèon returned from exile in Great Britain, “Louis Napolèon had great confidence that it was his destiny to rule France and carry on where his uncle had left off” (Robert Gildea, Barricades and Borders: Europe 1800-1914, pg 162)

Firstly he won a seat in the assembly which was established to draw up a new constitution; however he did not make a big impression and failed to impress other members. However when the Presidential elections took place on t...

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... 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.

Bibliography

John Merriman, A history of modern Europe: volume two, from the French Revolution to the present (1996)

Robert Gildea, Barricades and borders: Europe 1800-1914 (2nd end, 1995)

William Simpson and Martin Jones, Europe 1763-1914 (2000)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon_III_of_France

Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 99 “Napoleon III”

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