Napoleon Bonaparte: a True Tyrant Essay

Ideals of the paradise and the French Revolution were both rooted from the propensity to abolish absolute authority, find out the natural right-hand(a)s of men, and develop a stable g everyplacenment. snooze Bonaparte, a cock-a-hoop military general and French Emperor, strived for these semipolitical ideologies, still was corrupt in his way of approaching them. He was strictly bootless and selfish these characteristics served notwithstanding as a catalyst to his abolition. Mohandas Gandhi, a pacifistic revolutionary that conduct Indias emancipation, say that power based on love is a thousand times more effective and permanent then the unrivalled derived from fear of punishment. forty winks, however, seized control over France by ruling op vexively and ruthlessly citizens followed him only in fear of his boundless power. Although snooze did serving establish political and social comparability in France, his uncontrollable desire for personal supremacy suppressed the i deals of the revolution and violated the elemental principles of the enlightenment. catnaps 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 inside a nation (Robespierre). However, Napoleon rejected both republican form of government he was solely concerned with maintaining a hereditary power, which may endure for generations, even for centuries (Selected). Ironically though, in hopes to step-up popularity among members of the 3rd estate, he abolished the power of the nobility and appointed governors that were loyal to the primal government.Not only did he cr make himself emperor of France, but too, he established an imperial court and the members of his family were made roy alty, while other titles and honors were minded(p) to his supporters (Sarti). He was not content merely to create a dynasty for France, but was constantly looking for ways to improve his familys reputation (Axelrod). Napoleons advice in a letter to his brother, Jrme Napolon, revealed his obsessional concern over his own reputation and greed for the strength of his monarchy. This unenlightened behavior reflecting unequal treatment of the mickle strictly goes against the revolutions purpose, and thus, proves that Napoleon was an extremely authoritarian and ruthless emperor.Consumed by his insecurity and absolute egotism, Napoleon stripped away the natural rights of his citizens to prevent France from entering give tongue to 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 to maintain power over his people, it was necessary to neer allow the newspapers to say anything contrary to his interests (Leader). In effort to maintain pink of my John inwardly the nation, he to a fault banished discussion and proscribed the freedom of press, and stole his citizens rights to the freedom of expression (Selected).Although this prevention helped preserve serenity 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 good-mannered Code in 1804, which promised equality under the law.However, this project created to bring up equality within the nati on, developed conditions that were very unfavorable to wives it clearly was not designed for the good 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 followers and earn the recognition of his neighbors. This, however, only proven that he was a authoritarian 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 apply 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 preserv e himself and the core of his Grand Army, frequently of his forces were destroyed or had deserted him fewer than 10,000 men fit for assail 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 valued his own life far more than of his soldiers He quickly descended the northern staircase and gave orders for a guide to conduct him out the urban center to the imperial castle 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 unsophisticated military invasions on Russia still reflected qualities of a self-absorbed dictator he was selfish, u ncaring, and insensitive to the physical well being of his citizens.Although Napoleon helped improve the lives of many, his excessive lust 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 absorbed with the thought of personal success his selfish personality and overbearing ego served as a strong foundation to his authoritarian rule over France.