Napoleon

The Coming Age of the Napoleonic Era

The 18th Century was an intensive period for France by the awake of the third estate which will lead the French Revolution remarked by the injustice from the Old Regime who caused them to live without secure and poverty, which pushed to the highest tension and lead to the rise of Napoleon. Despite the failure of the Old Regime to maintain the social status and empire of France, the impact of Napoleon Bonaparte brought equality, fraternity, and liberty to make France one of the most powerful countries at the time.

The Old Regime was a disaster that caused for people to seek for a more democratic society. “Economic conditions with the growing popularity of a discourse stressed freedom in the face of entrenched economic and social privileges” (Merriman 470). This situation from the Old Regime will later brought an unstable economy to the third estate. This also shows the growing of population while economic is going down, because people still had to pay taxes while the family needed money for living. The main cause of the situation is because “There were no central banks in France and French monarchy depended on private interests which will suffered from an assessment of fiscal obligations and inadequate accounting” (Merriman 472). This explains the economy was going down because the monarchies were fully dependent on others without organizing anything by themselves. This also shows the need of a revolution because the majority of the third estates were suffering while the monarchy was wasting money! In short, the Old Regime did not care about anything except how to live an opulent life, which is why the third estate revealed.

France was grouped into three estates. The first estate was the clergy and nobles; the second estate was mostly known as the bourgeoisie; while the third estate contained the majority of the people who were either peasants or slaves. The difference between estates caused “Economic hardship increased monarchy’s financial problems and social tensions” (Merriman 472). This gives an explanation of why the third estate wanted to change because the monarchy was making everything worse, which gave the third estate the perspective they needed to change the law into what they think a true French citizen needed to apply. People start to realize the possibility of a revolution and tried to find a suitable person to lead them. “Revolutionary France provided perfect background for an ambitious, politically conscious and energetic person to make his way to the top” (Johnson 15). This portrays the rise of people and the instability of a weak state. This also applies the characteristic for a person who should rule France. In short, by the timing and situation, Napoleon will rise by these consequences and became the famous ruler in history.

The first significant European revolution happened in France. It was an event which introduced the idea of democracy because “French Revolution was the first effective challenge to monarchical absolution on behalf of popular sovereignty. Creation of a republican government and the diffusion of republican ideals in other European countries influenced the evolution of European political life” (Merriman 469). This passage shows the effect of this single event to other countries. This also shows the Old Regime and the economic problems finally came to a breaking point which caused people to revolt. It is amazing to see people all gathered around to fight for what they think is right.

People came up with the concepts of equality, fraternity, and liberty to express what they truly want. The Enlightenment thinking made a strong influence during the process because “The language of Enlightenment stressed equality before the law, difference between absolute and despotic rule, and placed the monarchy’s government to closer scrutiny of public opinion” (Merriman 471). This expresses the influence of the Enlightenment on the people which also made a comparison of the two governments. In addition, “Enlightenment literature was not itself revolutionary. But as complaints mounted about noble privileges, guild monopolies, and corrupt royal officials, the implications of Enlightenment thought led to political action” (Merriman 471). This shows the strong impact of books to the revolutionaries. This also shows how they used Enlightenment thinkers’ books as a model for the ideal France they were hoping to build. Equality, fraternity and liberty became a famous term since that time and it truly responses the general will of the people.

The French Revolution took place for a long time due to different wills express by certain groups of people. All of them wanted to be the hero who turned France into their own image, but Napoleon Bonaparte was the only one who succeeds the general will. “Napoleon ended the rule of Directoire” (Horne 11). This shows that Napoleon would be the ruler of France one day by ended up the revolution in a struggling period. “Bonaparte was favored by fortune and timing which he compounded his luck by the alacrity and decision and he snatched at opportunities as they arose” (Johnson 15). This portrays the character of Napoleon which is smart, quick, and lucky, which also introduced the coming age of him by his successful policy and true reflection from the people. Technically, Napoleon was not the one who officially ended the revolution, but he brought stability to the people, which is what they long for. In conclusion, the end of the revolution means a brand new era and story for France.

Napoleon