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Thought about how France was affected by Napoleon Bonaparte's rule, and I think there are plenty of both beneficial and detrimental effects. Here is my take:
There were many changes - political, constitutional, legal and religious - under Napoleon, which affected, by his direct intent, the way individuals thought and the way they lived; and there were other of his activates, his obsession with war for instance, which affected society more indirectly. The impact of some changes outlasted the Napoleonic era, while others did not. Napoleon set out to make France the greatest nation in Europe. To do this, he proposed many changes and projects, ranging from a complete re-do of the nation's legal system, including the establishment of the civil Code Napoleon, to a massive road construction project. These changes brought about many benefits for the French people, but also brought many detrimental results with them also. In this essay, we will evaluate the nature of the question, as it asks us how Napoleon's rule 'benefited' France, not how it affected France.
Napoleon changed many seemingly irreversible at the time - civil equality, the destruction of feudalism, the ruin of the privileged position of the Catholic Church. As for the rest, the enjoyment of liberties, the form of political institutions, there had been since 1789 so much political instability, so many contradictions between the grand principles and the practice of governments, so much persistent uncertainty on the outcome of the war and the unity of the nation, that the field lay open for a man who, on condition of preserving the essential conquests of the Revolution, who would do something new in the matter of the government. Nevertheless, Napoleon considered himself a true son of the Revolution, since he furthered the principle of equality and made permanent certain reforms of the Revolution. Among his notable accomplishments were, the centralization of local government, furtherance of public education, improvement of finances, settlement of religious matters, the famous Code Napoleon which is a system of laws to eliminate the legal confusion and injustices, it provided equal treatment before the law. The Napoleonic code revolutionized the legal system and modified the laws to represent revolutionary ideals, so criminals were charged based on their actual crimes, rather than suspicion, etc. The creation of this code greatly benefited the French people by creating stability in French legal system.
What is also often overlooked in the long list of positive accomplishments by Napoleon was his education reforms. He even finalized a Concordat with the Pope in 1801 which permitted the turnover of parochial schools in France to the State, and recognized the Catholic Church in France once again, and healed the rifts brought by the Civil Construction of the Clergy. This gave the French people freedom of religion. The concordat also stated that the lands of the church and émigré would never be restored. As a result of the state's taking over, another law was passed which forbade any ecclesiastic to become a teacher. In other words, no more priests and nuns teaching in so-called "public" schools, including improved secondary schools. Under Napoleon, France may well have been the first country to establish different "levels" of high schools- the so-called "lycees centrales" for high-average students, and then trade schools (although they were not called that) for education in everything from mining to astronomy. Napoleon revolutionized the education system, and his impact can still be seen in various school curriculums around the world today. He created a system where there was opportunity for all people, although with some preference to those pursing a military career.
Unfortunately, Napoleon also brought harm to the people of France, because he ruled despotically, aroused a spirit of intolerant nationalism, established a tradition of war and militarism. Napoleon's aim to keep France peaceful and stable were short-lived as he set out on many campaigns to expand the French empire including the Kingdom of Westphalia in Austria, the Confederation of the Rhine in Germany, Jena-Auerstadt in Prussia and the Grand Duchy of Warsaw in Poland. His numerous military campaigns were a catalyst towards further conflict with other European nations, and resulted in a lack of resources, an economic crisis and loss of life in France. These campaigns, used to expand the Empire, were unnecessary, and posed no benefit for the French people. They created the poverty Napoleon had promised to destroy.
There were many changes - political, constitutional, legal and religious - under Napoleon, which affected, by his direct intent, the way individuals thought and the way they lived; and there were other of his activates, his obsession with war for instance, which affected society more indirectly. The impact of some changes outlasted the Napoleonic era, while others did not. Napoleon set out to make France the greatest nation in Europe. To do this, he proposed many changes and projects, ranging from a complete re-do of the nation's legal system, including the establishment of the civil Code Napoleon, to a massive road construction project. These changes brought about many benefits for the French people, but also brought many detrimental results with them also. In this essay, we will evaluate the nature of the question, as it asks us how Napoleon's rule 'benefited' France, not how it affected France.
Napoleon changed many seemingly irreversible at the time - civil equality, the destruction of feudalism, the ruin of the privileged position of the Catholic Church. As for the rest, the enjoyment of liberties, the form of political institutions, there had been since 1789 so much political instability, so many contradictions between the grand principles and the practice of governments, so much persistent uncertainty on the outcome of the war and the unity of the nation, that the field lay open for a man who, on condition of preserving the essential conquests of the Revolution, who would do something new in the matter of the government. Nevertheless, Napoleon considered himself a true son of the Revolution, since he furthered the principle of equality and made permanent certain reforms of the Revolution. Among his notable accomplishments were, the centralization of local government, furtherance of public education, improvement of finances, settlement of religious matters, the famous Code Napoleon which is a system of laws to eliminate the legal confusion and injustices, it provided equal treatment before the law. The Napoleonic code revolutionized the legal system and modified the laws to represent revolutionary ideals, so criminals were charged based on their actual crimes, rather than suspicion, etc. The creation of this code greatly benefited the French people by creating stability in French legal system.
What is also often overlooked in the long list of positive accomplishments by Napoleon was his education reforms. He even finalized a Concordat with the Pope in 1801 which permitted the turnover of parochial schools in France to the State, and recognized the Catholic Church in France once again, and healed the rifts brought by the Civil Construction of the Clergy. This gave the French people freedom of religion. The concordat also stated that the lands of the church and émigré would never be restored. As a result of the state's taking over, another law was passed which forbade any ecclesiastic to become a teacher. In other words, no more priests and nuns teaching in so-called "public" schools, including improved secondary schools. Under Napoleon, France may well have been the first country to establish different "levels" of high schools- the so-called "lycees centrales" for high-average students, and then trade schools (although they were not called that) for education in everything from mining to astronomy. Napoleon revolutionized the education system, and his impact can still be seen in various school curriculums around the world today. He created a system where there was opportunity for all people, although with some preference to those pursing a military career.
Unfortunately, Napoleon also brought harm to the people of France, because he ruled despotically, aroused a spirit of intolerant nationalism, established a tradition of war and militarism. Napoleon's aim to keep France peaceful and stable were short-lived as he set out on many campaigns to expand the French empire including the Kingdom of Westphalia in Austria, the Confederation of the Rhine in Germany, Jena-Auerstadt in Prussia and the Grand Duchy of Warsaw in Poland. His numerous military campaigns were a catalyst towards further conflict with other European nations, and resulted in a lack of resources, an economic crisis and loss of life in France. These campaigns, used to expand the Empire, were unnecessary, and posed no benefit for the French people. They created the poverty Napoleon had promised to destroy.
