Why Is Napoleon Bonaparte Considered A Dictator

When people think of dictators, names like Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, and Mao Zedong come to mind. One name that too often joins this list, despite most definitely belonging on it, is Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon was a kind and just leader, and always attempted to do what was right. He was by no means unconstrained and tyrannical, as the word dictator suggests. Napoleon fought for what was best for his people, even when doing so wasn’t the easiest way, and he was never cruel or murderous. Napoleon Bonaparte I would not be considered a dictator to the people of France because he gained power to protect and improve France, he was elected for his position as emperor, and he tried to remove King Henry XVIII. Napoleon would not be considered a dictator because he seized power to help better the country of France. When Napoleon became First Consul, it was to eliminate corruption in the current government and to create a Republic (Schom 209-214). The current government of France was in ruins after King Henry XVI was executed, paving the way for unjust rule in France. Napoleon sought a government founded on “true freedom, civil liberties, on full representation” (Schom 214). Napoleon wanted to make a government that was fair and just for his people, which is thinking that is very unlike that of a selfish dictator.

While many know that he took his crown from the pope’s hands and placed it on his own head, he by no means gave himself this title all on his own. Two years before he became emperor of France, Napoleon was elected First Consul for life. It was in 1804 that the French Consul voted to change Napoleon’s title to emperor (Napoleon 15). If Napoleon had been a dictator, he could have changed his own title to emperor, but being elected showed that the people wanted him as their leader and that he was the total opposite of a