Napoleon Bonaparte Is Napoleon a tyrant or a hero? Initially, Napoleon Bonaparte was a popular military general who was winning several victories. Chaos had risen in France after ending the terrible horrific Reign of Terror. Politicians planned to use Napoleon to accomplish their goals, yet little did they know Napoleon would become the emperor of France. However, as the ruler of France, Napoleon imposed his rule, conducted several reforms, and made new laws that would improve France’s stability. Thus, Napoleon should be remembered as a democratic reformer who not only improved France, but also stabilized it through many reforms relative to the goals of the French Revolution. Initially, Napoleon made many reforms that helped stabilize, …show more content…
For instance as Napoleon stated, “Of all our institutions public education is the most important. Everything depends on it, the present and the future…before I became a ruler, I was a subject, and before that I was a student. I can never forget how powerfully the sentiment (feeling) of equality influenced my mind and excited my heart” (Document 2). Initially, Napoleon makes an education system where everyone, even the ones who are not able to finance it would get an education. Not only does this promote equality, it also makes all the citizens of France educated. Knowledge is a power. Secondly, Napoleon made his own law code called the Napoleonic Code. The Napoleonic code. This code not only symbolized the ideas of the Enlightenment Era, but also the ideas of the French Revolution where the equality of all citizens came before the law, religious tolerance, and the elimination of feudalism. As Napoleon said through his letter to his brother, “The benefits of the Code Napoleon (Napoleonic Code), public trial, and the introduction of juries will be the leading features of your Government…I want your subjects to enjoy a degree of liberty, equality, and prosperity never before known to the German people. And they will love you for this”