An A-Level History essay from 2H France in Revolution focusing on the rule of Napoleon. Answers the question: How far was Napoleon's system of rewards responsible for his maintenance of power? Graded 22/25 (A*) by my teacher.
How far was Napoleon’s system of rewards responsible for his maintenance
of power after 1804?
Overall, Napoleon’s system of rewards was largely responsible for his maintenance of power
after 1804. He rewarded people who were loyal to him and persuaded old enemies, e.g.
emigres and royalist rebels, to rally around the regime through offerings of reconciliation and
patronage. Napoleon also used cohesive methods to maintain his power by carefully
controlling his image through propaganda and censorship and using military and political
repression to those who refused to support him. However, the system of rewards was more
important in his maintenance of power because it made the notables support Napoleon which
was important because they were the ones with influence to persuade others to follow him
and were also the ones with the potential political power to unseat him.
Napoleon gave out rewards to those who served him land the empire loyally. He gace out
rewards at little cost to himself which bound up the recipitents prospect with the regime so
that they would support the maintenance of it. For example, the Legion of Honour was
established in 1802 but continued throughout Napoleon’s reign was an honour bestowed upon
those who had been particularly loyal and had served Napoleon well. The recipitents received
a small annual salary as well as symbols of their membership such as the star of the order and
a sash. This was a huge honour and it ensured the continued loyalty of the members as well
as giving some people something to aspire towards to prove their loyalty to Napoleon. He
also created an imperial nobility in 1808 whose titles were often accompanied by gifts of
estates and pensions and which could become hereditary. This bound up the fates of the
notables of the empire with the stability of the regime and ensured their support in the
maintenance of his power. Napoleon also reformed the education system to create lycees
which provided scholarships for secondary education for boys particularly of military men.
Napoleon’s systems of rewards was important in the maintenance of his power because it
made the notables of the empire, those who had political power and were influential to those
around them, supportive of Napoleon which helped him maintain internal stability, avoid
major opposition and ultimately maintain his power.
Napoleon focused on a policy or ralliement, or rallying all around his new regime through his
offers of rewards or reconciliation. He gave generous amnesty to rebels in the west and
overtures to emigres and refractory priests and often would offer rewards to those who would
support him. He also reconciled with the Church in the Concordat in 1801 which made
Catholic worship freely available again, something which was extremely important to a vast
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