Napoleon Bonaparte: a True Tyrant Essay

Ideals of the Enlightenment and the cut innovation were both rooted from the intrust to abolish absolute authority, ensure the natural functions of men, and develop a stable government. cat sleep Bonaparte, a prominent military general and French Emperor, strived for these political ideologies, save was corrupt in his way of approaching them. He was strictly egotistic and selfish these characteristics served only as a catalyst to his abolition. Mohandas Gandhi, a pacifistic rotatory that led Indias emancipation, stated that power based on love is a thousand times more effective and permanent then the unity derived from fear of punishment. Napoleon, however, seized control over France by ruling oppressively and ruthlessly citizens followed him only in fear of his boundless power. Although Napoleon did help clear political and social comparability in France, his uncontrollable desire for ad hominem supremacy suppressed the ideals of the regeneration and violated the basic principles of the enlightenment.Napoleons personal greed for power drove him to infringe the basic principles of the revolution on the rights to hereditary and absolute rule. Robespierre, an edify leader of the Jacobins, stated that the purpose of the French Revolution was to abolish absolute monarchy and institute a democratic or republican government that could help increase political equality within a realm (Robespierre). However, Napoleon rejected any republican form of government he was solely restoreed with maintaining a hereditary power, which may endure for generations, even for centuries (Selected). ironically though, in hopes to gain popularity among members of the 3rd estate, he abolished the power of the nobility and appointed governors that were loyal to the central government.Not only did he crown himself emperor of France, only if also, he established an imperial court and the members of his family were made royalty, while other titles and honors were given to his supporters (Sarti). He was not content merely to create a dynasty for France, just was constantly looking for ways to improve his familys reputation (Axelrod). Napoleons advice in a letter to his brother, Jrme Napolon, revealed his obsessive concern over his own reputation and greed for the strength of his monarchy. This unenlightened behavior reflecting unequal treatment of the people strictly goes against the revolutions purpose, and thus, proves that Napoleon was an exceedingly authoritarian and ruthless emperor.Consumed by his insecurity and unbounded ego, Napoleon stripped away the natural rights of his citizens to prevent France from entering utter chaos. In The Second Treatise on Government, John Locke, a prominent Enlightenment philosopher, emphasized on the importance of preserving the lives, liberties, and estates of the people when governing a nation. Napoleon, on the other hand, was a strong anti-advocate of the freedom of speech and press he believed that in order t o maintain power over his people, it was necessary to never allow the newspapers to say anything contrary to his interests (Leader). In try to maintain peace within the nation, he also banished discussion and proscribed the freedom of press, and stole his citizens rights to the freedom of expression (Selected).Although this prevention helped preserve placidity within France, it caused them to live in oblivion of the rest of Europe. He most proudly stood against the ideas conveyed in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of Citizens on the peoples right to unrestrained communication of thoughts and opinions, because he was strictly concerned with his reputation among his citizens. In order to gain the affection of his people, he also constructed the French Civil label in 1804, which promised equality under the law.However, this project created to promote equality within the nation, developed conditions that were very unfavorable to wives it clearly was not designed for the bene ficial of the people (French Civil Code) (Locke). By restricting the peoples access to their natural rights of mankind and constructing laws for certain groups, Napoleon hoped he could gain admiration from his following and earn the recognition of his neighbors. This, however, only proved that he was a dictator who oppressed the most fundamental and enlightened ideals of the revolution.Napoleon was not only egotistical and selfish, but he was also a reckless military dictator who maintained stability using violence and unnecessary invasions. Although he strived for social equality and a utopian society, in reality, very few beneficial changes were made during the time of his rule. In fact, during his invasion of Russia, over 300,000 French soldiers were killed it weakened the entire French army. A passage summarizing the French-Russian war stated Although Napoleon managed to preserve himself and the core of his Grand Army, much of his forces were destroyed or had deserted him fewer than 10,000 men fit for competitiveness remained in the main force (Phillips).War general, Philippe de Sgur, who accompanied Napoleon on many of his military campaigns, described him as an insensitive, callous dictator who value his own life far more than of his soldiers He rapidly descended the northern staircase and gave orders for a guide to conduct him out the city to the imperial fortress of Petrowsky (Selected). Benjamin Constant, an active participant of French politics, also thought of Napoleon as a barbaric conqueror who robbed us of the heritage of all the enlightened generations and took advantage of the French army for his own benefit (Selected). Napoleons foreign policies, such as the Continental System that boycotted all British goods, and his aboveboard military invasions on Russia further reflected qualities of a self-absorbed dictator he was selfish, uncaring, and insensitive to the physical well being of his citizens.Although Napoleon helped improve the lives of many, his excessive proclivity for power and egotistical character deprived him of the admiration from his citizens. By restoring hereditary rule within the nation, he directly violated the main purpose of the revolution equality was certainly not established. He went against the ideals of the Enlightenment protecting the natural rights of every individual by stripping away his citizens right to life and liberty. Napoleon was, in fact, a dictator who ruled unconstitutionally and was constantly preoccupied with the thought of personal success his selfish personality and overbearing ego served as a strong foundation to his authoritarian rule over France.