The Enlightenment era was a period of successive waves of changes in social, economic, political, and rational Europe during the Eighteenth Century. This was a period where individuals used creative intelligence in all spheres of life and uplifted the standards of the European continent. The enlightenment era produced many great intellectuals and Napoleon Bonaparte was one of them. Napoleon Bonaparte once said, “When a government is dependent on bankers for money, they and not the leaders of the government control the situation, since the hand that gives is above the hand that takes. Money has no motherland; financiers are without patriotism and decency; their sole object is gain.” The quote gives a view of his enlightened vision when we comprehend this concerning the global financial crisis and the Occupy Movements spreading to various parts of the world. This essay aims to outline the relationship between Napoleon and the enlightenment.
Radiance of Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon was an enlightened genius. His extensive interest in books and readings provided him with great insights to understand society, economics, politics, science, and wars. His brilliance surpassed many and was well reflected in his attitudes and policies. From being a French military strategist, organizer, and political leader who had envisioned the concept of a Unified Europe through a series of sustained collaborations, social maneuverings, and military acquisitions to a continuous innovator in warfare technology. His legacy apart from a powerful general included social and economic reforms like higher education, a tax code, road and sewage systems, and the establishment of banks.
The method of religious tolerance was an instrument to win over the trust of the common masses. He gave religious freedom to the people of conquered lands just like Alexander the Great did. He negotiated the Concordat of 1801 to win the faith of the Catholics and regulated public worship in France. He bought the trust of the Pope and thus he was able to use religion as a weapon to control enemies and people alike. The ability to adapt the social customs made him popular. The writers have called him an ‘enlightened despot’, who believed in holding absolute powers to bring radical changes in the society through coded enforcement. His oratory and leadership skills were needed during those times of French unrest and upheaval. He advocated the system of voting for adopting his policies of reforms. He heavily taxed the upper classes to improve the conditions of the poor majority. His codified laws had a social bent of spirit and it impacted the majority. His social reforms sought to bring equality to society. Meritocracy was given due recognition. He initiated reforms in science when he became the President of the French Academy of Sciences. The importance of education and science arose. Many scholarships and institutions were established. His civil code of conduct, the Napoleonic Code, prepared by legal experts was brought to enforce a law against civil, criminal, and commercial cases. Critics do view him as not doing much for woman’s emancipation as he believed they had a rightful place in homes bringing up children (Blaufarb 120-200).
Napoleon was brilliance recognized by his opponents like Wellington, whose reflections could still be seen in military and public policy schools where his art of innovations and philosophies are being taught. Thus we may conclude that Napoleon was an enlightened genius who was born to transform the outlook of the world.
Works Cited
Blaufarb, R. Napoleon: Symbol for an Age, a Brief History with Documents. Bedford. 2007. Print.