Perspectives

     The majority of class last week was spent on learning about the great Napoleon Bonaparte.  Our primary focus was answering the essential question: What was Napoleon’s impact on the social, economic, and political systems of Europe?  To answer this question, we watched a few videos and read primary sources inside and outside of class.  The video we watched, All You need to know about Napoleon Bonaparte, gave a brief overview of Napoleon’s life and things he changed during his time.  We also read primary sources from The Lost Voices of Napoleonic Historians by Thomas J. Vance and two different points of views of Napoleon from Madame de Stael and Marshall Michael Ney. 

Madame de Stael

     Madame de Stael was a member of the nobility and a daughter of King Louis XVI’s former financial advisor.  She most likely grew up near Versailles and lived a comfortable life before the reign of Napoleon.  Madame believed that Napoleon had contempt for values of human nature and saw values such as virtue and dignity as “enemies of the continent”.  She didn’t think that he had any sort of plan to govern the country.  She saw his system as one in which France’s independence and liberty increased at the cost of the rest of Europe’s freedom. George Gordon Andrews believed that Napoleon was a reckless and an uncontrollable tyrant who pretty much wreaked havoc across Europe.  Marjorie Johnston author Domination: Some Napoleonic Episodes refers to Napoleon as “[a] usurper, a tyrant, and a greedy, egotistical and ambitious ruler.”

Marshall Michael Ney

     In contrast, Marshall Michael Ney had a completely different perspective of Napoleon.  Marshall Michael Nay was an officer who served closely to Napoleon.  Marshall Michael Nay strongly believed that Napoleon had the right to rule France.  He states how “The times are gone when the people were governed by suppressing their rights.  Liberty triumphs in the end, and Napoleon, out August Emperor, comes to confirm it.”  John C. Ropes, author of The First Napoleon: A Sketch, Political and Military praises Napoleon for “his untiring industry, his devotion to the public service, his enlightened views of government and legislation [and] his humanity.”  Marjorie Johnston also describes the era full of “splendid elements” and calls Napoleon a great soldier, liberator, reformer and lawgiver.   

Napoleon Bonaparte

     There is no one way to look at Napoleon’s rule; only perspectives.  Looking at everything that Napoleon has done in his life time, I think he’s got some real guts.  I do think he made a lot of positive impacts for France.  He overthrew the French directory.  He also controlled prices of products, encouraged new industry balanced budgets and started the bank of France.  He undertook massive work programs such as building roads and canals and removing trade barriers.  During his reign, more citizens had rights to property and education.  Napoleon established a meritocracy in which people were rewarded based on skill rather than class.  He said adios to titles such as nobility and serfdom.  The lives of many people went from horrible to manageable.  He is a daring military strategist and a charismatic leader who had a very significant impact in the world.  There is no denying the negative impacts he had in the numerous countries he conquered, but there is no way he should go unrecognized for the amazing things he did for his country.  

The Lost Voices of Napoleonic Historians by Thomas J. Vance Napoleon Review Worksheet

Images:  

"Madame De Stael." Madame De Stael. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2014.

"Marshal Michel Ney." Michel Ney. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2014.

"Napoleon Bonaparte." BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2014.