How Did Napoleon Betray The Ideals Of The French Revolution

In the early stages of the French revolution, there were certain goals that the revolutionists had. The first goal was to abolish the monarchy and replace it with a system where all citizens have a political voice. Also, reformation between the church and the state allowed for religious freedom, and marriage through the government. Free speech was emphasized in the early stages in order to prevent corruption in government and values. Privileges based on birth were decreased with the notion that a common man should have the ability to rise up in their ranks. The Declaration of the Rights of Man stated that all men were born equal and free. Once Napoleon rose to power, he betrayed the ideals of the revolution by making himself a dictator. Napoleon …show more content…
The mere fact that he was a dictator (and later an emperor) goes against many of the democratic principles put in place by the founders of the revolution. As stated in the document itself: “liberty consists of being able to do anything that does not harm another person”(Spielvogel 584). Napoleon betrayed this ideal by seizing power and removing the liberties granted by the original revolutionaries. One of these liberties was free speech. Also stated in The Declaration of the Rights of Man, “The free communication of thoughts and opinions is one of the most precious rights of man: every citizen may therefore speak, write, and print” (Spielvogel 584). The goal was to allow all citizens to voice their own opinions with the intent to influence government. If someone were to do this under Napoleon, that person would likely be killed. Napoleon’s desire to keep himself in power prevented the masses from speaking out against him. He cared greatly about his image and didn’t want the people to be influenced by contradictory opinions. The declaration of the rights of man put certain principles into play that were later dissolved by