A fully summarised section of Napoleons aims.
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1.4 What were Napoleon’s domestic aims and achievements from
1799 to 1814?
When he became first consul in 1799 had three broad aims.
1. Become, and remain, the ruler of France.
2. end the chaos of the revolutionary years.
3. Provide effective government in France, maintaining the best of
the revolutionary gains while still keeping law and order.
§ Napoleon felt that France needed firm government and an end
to radicalism.
§ He set to create a middle ground avoiding the Terror and the
Ancien Regime
§ Wanted to offer political stability, which would allow social and
economic stability.
§ He removed some democratic freedoms, reducing elections
both in number and political significance, thus ending the
frequent changes in government.
§ If Sieyès had examined Napoleon’s career he would have
realised that Napoleon was more than a good general.
§ He had strong authoritarian, even dictatorial, tendencies in the
management of his conquests in Italy and Egypt.
§ Napoleon was a rational individual, strongly influenced by
Enlightenment ideas and, above all, the idea of a strong unitary
state with a powerful central authority.
§ He wanted to restore national unity and pride in France
§ He did not like democracy, and he was determined to break the
power and influence of the sans-culottes. Shared by the middle
class
v Napoleon’s initiatives as first consul
§ Successful and clever transition from general to absolute ruler
of France.
§ One of the firsts things he did was release many émigrés and
radicals from jail.
, § He hoped to create an atmosphere of both political and
religious tolerance.
§ His message was clear: if people obeyed the law, they would be
free to live in peace.
§ In 1802, there was a pardon for all émigrés.
§ He created a strong government with his two fellow consuls,
the former Jacobin radical Cambacérès and the old royalist
sympathiser Lebrun.
§ The time had come for reconciliation, not revenge.
§ Sieyès produced another new constitution, which established
the Consulate, with its powerful Executive. This constitution,
legitimised by a plebiscite – great for Napoleon
§ It placed the first consul in the key decision-making role. The
first consul appointed ministers, could initiate legislation.
There was only a requirement for limited consultation in new
legislation.
§ The other two consuls provided some balance, but had little
power. It was Napoleon, who moved into the old royal palace
in Paris, the Tuileries, in 1800.
§ Napoleon’s was able to appoint his own successor – ‘consul for
life’ and was declared emperor, were also confirmed by
plebiscites.
§ In 1800, he showed the French people just what his regime was
capable of.
v Napoleon’s authoritarian government
§ He set up new ministries, which he staffed himself
§ All ministers reported directly to Napoleon.
§ He created a Council of State which consisted of all the
principal ministers.
§ It was a good balance politically and contained many able men
who had taken different sides during the previous decade.
§ Set up the Bank of France under a capable minister.
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