France

NAPOLEON BONAPARTE-

The ideals of the French Revolution were "Equality, Liberty, and Fraternity," yet the methods that were used to accomplish these goals were extreme. For example, about 40,000 people were guillotined during the Reign of Terror. When Napoleon Bonaparte, a French army hero, seized control of the government in France in 1799 by a coup de'tat, he was looking to achieve peace in France by ending the Revolution. To do this, he had to be in complete control: he ruled like a dictator. However, he realized that he would have to allow the French people some of the freedoms and rights sought out during the Revolution. If he did not, he would have lost their trust and there could have been another revolution. Therefore, it is accurate to say, "Napoleon Bonaparte stabilized and united French society, yet supported the ideals of French Revolution."

Peace and tranquillity in France came with Napoleon's strong, autocratic rule. After making himself a consul for life, he re-established the French monarchy, naming himself Emperor Napoleon I in 1804. He centralized France's government by appointing new officials, made tax collections more systematic and efficient, and created a National Bank. He believed that it was by God's will that he was brought to power and persuaded others into believing it through the Napoleon Catechism. It taught the French people that Napoleon was due their respect and loyalty because it was "he whom God had raised up under difficult circumstances to re-establish the public worship of the holy religion of our fathers and to be the protector of it." In other words, his coming to the French throne was a blessing.

In some ways the event was a blessing. Napoleon brought civility back to France through legal codes and treaties that reflected revolutionary ideals. The Code Napoleon was one example. It recognized the equality of all citizens before the law, protected property rights, safeguarded employers by outlawing trade unions and strikes, and supported religious toleration. Above all, it abolished serfdom and destroyed all remnants of feudalism. In addition, Napoleon signed the Concordat of 1801 with the Pope to reverse the dechristianization attempts made during the "Republic of Virtue." Although he was not a religious man, Napoleon realized that most people needed to practice their faith. For France, this agreement made the Catholic Church an ally and they retained the power to nominate bishops. In return, the Pope agreed to recognize the accomplishments of the Revolution and to not question the ownership of the land that had been confiscated then.