Frequently Asked Question #14:”What Kind Of Leader Was Napoleon Bonaparte?
By Max Sewell These days it seems that a recurrent debate concerns the supposed guilt or innocence of Bonaparte for the sins of his era. It appears that many people have formed strong ideas on this subject, and having seen a number of them voiced recently, I’ve taken some time to re-examine my own beliefs by using some of the arguments made against him. As a start, I’ve noticed that most seem to regard Bonaparte in singular fashion. He is thought of as being notably different from his contemporaries, both within and without France. He is held to higher standards, judged more harshly and made responsible in ways other leaders are not. Ultimately he seems to be held accountable for having failed to markedly improve the lot of mankind, something no other man of his generation was to expected to have done. While that seems to be an accepted predicate, I don’t believe it is one that should remain unchallenged.
