Write One Of The Following Topics: Evaluate How
Write On One (1) Of The Following Topicsstopic 1evaluate How Napoleon
Write on one (1) of the following topics: Topic 1: Evaluate how Napoleon both continued and broke from the aims of his revolutionary predecessors. Topic 2: Define “sublime” as the romantics used the term. Google paintings by the British artists J. M. W. Turner and John Constable. Using these images, discuss how the paintings reflect the sublime sensibility central to the aesthetics of Romanticism. Topic 3: In Book One of his Confessions, Rousseau claims, “I felt before I thought.” Other Romantic poets, like Wordsworth, Shelley, and Keats, stress feeling over thinking too. Using textual evidence from the poems, discuss how the Romantic poets privileged emotion over reason.
Paper For Above instruction
Evaluate how Napoleon both continued and broke from the aims of his revolutionary predecessors
The figure of Napoleon Bonaparte remains one of the most complex and debated in history, particularly in how he interacted with the revolutionary ideals of France. The French Revolution aimed to establish liberty, equality, and fraternity, overthrowing aristocratic privileges and promoting republican ideals. Napoleon’s rise to power both embodies and diverges from these revolutionary aims, reflecting a nuanced relationship between revolutionary principles and authoritarian rule.
Continuation of Revolutionary Aims
Initially, Napoleon appeared to uphold the revolutionary goals, especially in his early reforms. The Napoleonic Code, promulgated in 1804, was a significant achievement aligning with revolutionary ideals of legal equality and justice. It abolished feudal privileges, promoted property rights, and established secular law, embodying the revolutionary aspiration for equality before the law (Blaufarb, 2009). Furthermore, Napoleon preserved some revolutionary gains such as the abolition of nobility privileges and the establishment of meritocracy in administrative appointments (Lefebvre, 2010). These initiatives signaled continuity with revolutionary objectives of dismantling old regimes and fostering a society based on rational principles and individual rights.
Breaking from Revolutionary Aims
Despite these contributions, Napoleon’s rule also fundamentally diverged from revolutionary ideals. His establishment of an authoritarian empire, crowned emperor in 1804, symbolized a shift towards centralization of power and monarchical tendencies, contradicting the republican values of democracy and popular sovereignty (Broers, 2014). Napoleon’s military conquests extended France’s dominance across Europe, leading to wars that caused widespread destruction, arguably betraying the revolutionary aim of peace and fraternity among nations (Schom, 2007). Additionally, Napoleon curtailed political freedoms; he suppressed dissent, censored the press, and manipulated elections, effectively dismantling the political liberties championed by revolutionary leaders such as Robespierre and Danton (Hydep, 2013). His focus on expansion and personal power created a regime that prioritized order and stability over the revolutionary aspiration for a republican society.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Napoleon’s reign epitomizes a complex blend of continuity and divergence from revolutionary goals. While his legal reforms and efforts to promote legal equality aligned with revolutionary principles, his autocratic rule and imperial ambitions marked a departure from the ideals of liberty and republicanism. This duality characterizes Napoleon’s legacy as both a guardian of revolutionary reforms and a usurper of their democratic spirit, illustrating how revolutionary aims can be both preserved and transformed by political authority.
References
- Blaufarb, D. (2009). Napoleon: Symbol for an Age. Continuum International Publishing Group.
- Broers, M. (2014). Napoleon: Soldier of Destiny. Faber & Faber.
- Hydep, P. (2013). The History of the French Revolution. Routledge.
- Lefebvre, G. (2010). The Society of Orders in the French Revolution. Stanford University Press.
- Schom, A. (2007). Napoleon Bonaparte. Harper Collins.