Napoleon's Impact

Napoleon Bonaparte made a huge impact on the social, economic, and political systems of Europe. He dominated most of Europe, conquering countries such as Italy, Spain, and Holland, and even reaching Egypt. Napoleon captured Vienna and then formed an alliance. He was feared because he went on many conquests and was greedy; yet he was admired because he was a brilliant military strategist. This is explained in "The Lost Voices of Napoleonic Historians", where the balance between Napoleon's good and bad qualities is described by authors of out-of-print biographies.

"Napoleon's Military Success"

"The Lost Voices" is a good example of differing views on Napoleon. Most authors are willing to admit that while Napoleon could be negligent and reckless, he was devoted to serving the public and was a great liberator and reformer. However, unlike historians who tend to be unbiased, those who knew Napoleon personally had views of him that were on opposite ends of the spectrum. Madame de Stael, for example, bitterly opposed Napoleon. She insisted that Napoleon used cunning and force to conquer Europe. When he became head of the French government, he announced that he had a plan for a universal monarchy. However, de Stael did not believe him. She believed that in order to keep France interested, Napoleon would intrude on "France's liberty and Europe's independence". Being a member of the nobility and the daughter of Louis XVI's former financial advisor, it only made sense for de Stael (who was exiled in the end) to feel this way. However, Marshal Michel Ney, one of Napoleon's officers, admired and worshiped Napoleon. He believed that Napoleon had the right to rule over the country as emperor and that he was giving people their liberty. "The times are gone when the people were governed by suppressing their rights", Ney shares in a speech to his fellow soldiers.
Napoleon made a positive impact on the social, economic, and political systems of Europe. While not everyone felt this way, Napoleon stimulated industry, controlled prices, and introduced a system where people were rewarded for their skills and not their social class. Though he was considered by some as a tyrant, there is no doubt that Napoleon was good for Europe's (and the world's) growth.