Did Napoleon rule democratic? - Historum

**jeroenrottgering** · August 7th, 2011, 05:26 PM

Did Napoleon rule democratic in your opinion?

I would say yes, because on the hand of referendums Napoleon consulted the French wen he made important decissions, but if you think otherwise I am eager to discuss with you.

**Labienus** · August 7th, 2011, 06:03 PM

A firm no.

Napoleon was enlightened, progressive, cultured, far-sighted, brilliant and possessed many other qualities.

However, democratic he was not. At the end of the day, he was an emperor who yielded absolute power.

**spellbanisher** · August 7th, 2011, 06:08 PM

From a letter Napoleon wrote in 1796:

"Do you think...that my object is to establish a Republic? What a notion! A republic of thirty million people, with our morals and vices! How could that ever be? It is a chimera with which the French are infatuated but which will pass away in time like all others...as for liberty, of that they have no conception...The nation must have a head, a head rendered illustrious by glory and not by theories of government...of which the French understand not a wit. Let them have their toys and they will be satisfied. They will amuse themselves and allow themselves to be led, provided the goal is cleverly disguised."

Definitely not a clairvoyant! Doesn't appear to be the democratic type either.

**A7X** · August 7th, 2011, 08:07 PM

No, course not.

Kraken · August 7th, 2011, 08:27 PM

Democratic? Not at all.

Closer to despotism.

sylla1 · August 7th, 2011, 09:38 PM

Referendums = democracy? You must be kidding.

Even before getting intoxicated with power, grape-shooting unarmed civilians was the closest le Petit Caporal ever got to any democratic idea.

From the very first moment, le Premier Consul Monsieur Buonaparte was as tyrannical as it can get.

Now, whem he became a flamant new century autocratic emperor, referendum or not "democracy" was the very last thing he had in mind.

And to be honest, he never tried at all to disguise his extreme anti-democratic ideas.

**A7X** · August 7th, 2011, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sylla1

Referendums = democracy? You must be kidding.

Even before getting intoxicated with power, grape-shooting unarmed civilians was the closest le Petit Caporal ever got to any democratic idea.

From the very first moment, le Premier Consul Monsieur Buonaparte was as tyrannical as it can get.

Now, whem he became a flamant new century autocratic emperor, referendum or not "democracy" was the very last thing he had in mind.

And to be honest, he never tried at all to disguise his extreme anti-democratic ideas.

Unarmed? You've got to be kidding me.....

Fourteen · August 7th, 2011, 11:49 PM

The plebiscites he introduced and held were effectively useless, although definitely highly-intelligently timed and established. Democracy does not come from referendums, though, as has been mentioned above.

johnincornwall · August 7th, 2011, 11:58 PM

Please tell me this OP is just a wind-up to provoke debate. Isn't it?

**Louise C** · August 8th, 2011, 12:10 AM

No. In the Cambridge Illustrated History of France, Colin Jones writes:

'Napoleon - first as Consul, then from 1804 as Emperor - offered not so much military dictatorship as strongly authoritarian personal rule. The First Empire was another instance of the strong strain of centralized power inherent in French history whose most recent manifestation had been in the Reign of Terror. "From Clovis to the Committee of Public Safety" he noted, with that immodesty which has ever since attracted megalomaniacs to his name, "I embrace it all." '