Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon Bonaparte is a controversial figure in French history. While some would think of him as a man who aided the revolutionary cause, others believe that he was a despotic tyrant, in effect defeating what the revolutionaries set out to do. After the coup d'etat that brought Napoleon to power, he instantly installed himself as a "consul" with his two partners, promising to create a new constitution. The result, the Constitution of the Year VIII, gave a great deal of power to the executive branch: Napoleon, Cambaceres, and Lebrun the three consuls. The other branches of government were practically overlooked, and had very limited power. Bonaparte revised the constitution twice: in 1802, which made him consul for life, and in 1804, which made him emperor. He now had a government completely contrary to the purposes of the revolutionaries, yet the general population supported him. His system denied the concept of popular soverignty, destroyed the citizen's vote (officials were appointed, not elected), made the legislative branch progressively more powerless, and eventually suppressed free speech. This last development was serious. Newspapers became government propaganda machines. New literary works were closely scrutinized for anti-government sentiment. Police forces were created to keep the people in check. The revolution had failed.