Traitor to the Revolution?
One of the accusations often leveled against Napoleon is that he “betrayed” the higher ideals of the French Revolution, retarding democratic progress in both France and Europe. People making this argument apparently forget that the revolution had its truly dark side and fell a good deal short of being an ideal society. Life was not more secure nor more prosperous. France was not friendlier to Europe under the Committee of Public Safety or the Directory than it proved to be under the Consulate or Empire. Napoleon’s initial achievements are a remarkable compromise with revolutionary ideals and the requirements of a country bled white by the excesses of failed governments. He signed the Peace of Amiens, which brought an end to years of war. His enthusiastic participation in and endorsement of the codification of law embodied and certified the social revolution.
One of the accusations often made against him is that he “betrayed” the higher ideals of the revolution, retarding democratic progress in both France and Europe. People making this argument seemingly forget that the revolution had its truly “dark” side and fell a good deal short of being an ideal society. France was not friendlier to Europe under the Committee of Public Safety or the Directory than it proved to be under Bonaparte. Perhaps Napoleon was expected to correct the mistakes of the revolution while supporting its ideals, and to some degree one could argue that he did, most notably by facilitating the codification of law and achieving the Concordat; but given his singular opportunity, it is often argued that he might have gone further and established a truly democratic state, a goal I would argue that went against political trends both within France and on the continent. Democracies were more conceptual than actual in that era, with the American experiment yet to be proven succ
