Skip to main content

Napoleon to "Marengo, ch 11"

9. Brumaire--Fortune smiles on N. The existing government (The Directory) is terrible upon his return; change inevitable. He is ready to assume role of savior. During this period, as he planned the coup, he wrote no letters.  At other times he averaged 15 letters per day. Talleyrand as opportunist. Hyperinflation in Paris. . . The coup takes place in November 1799; it is hardly flawless, and owed much to stagecraft. The Elders are deferential, but the Five Hundred (lower house) don't behave.  They surround N., shout at him, calling him Tyrant and Cromwell.  Tough moment.  Napoleon beats a hasty retreat out of the assembly hall. . . . The army enters the hall and the deputies flee . . . There is a story of a dagger being thrust at N. that is probably apocryphal.  N.'s brother swears he will kill N. if he isn't true to democratic principles of the revolution--all staged.  Both houses dissolved; N. in power.
10. Consul--Napoleon presents himself as "completing the revolution.' He frees hostages; he encourages emigres to return; he mourns George Washington for 10 days; appoints Laplace--distinguished scientist--to high post.  Not a soldier, but a leading reformer . . . New constitution with representative government acknowledging rights of PROPERTY, then equality and liberty--making France less threatening to business. N. knew that business was key to France's long-term economic health. . . Welcomes back defeated opposition figures, including royalists . . . more open to dissent . . . national unification. . . plebiscite to confirm legitimacy 99.9% yes.  Fraud, naturally, and odd because the real vote would have been 90% or more.  No need to cheat. . .  propaganda by nature . . . no freedom of the press . . . centralized power and govt, unlike the 1789 revolution . . . Paris as center of luxury to increase business, again unlike 1789 principles . . .
  "In 15 weeks, Napoleon had ended the French Revolution . . . given France a new constitutions establisher her finances on a sound footing, muzzled the press, , appointed a talented government regardless of past political affiliation, won a plebiscite by a landslide, reorganized French local government and inaugurated the Banque de France."

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Tess of the D'Urbervilles, continued 2/3rds

"To all humankind, Tess was only a passing thought. Even to friends, she was only a frequently passing thought." Angel Clare is a good character. He's "enlightened," in so many ways, but when Tess's confesses her "crime," he reverts to ancestral form . . . Tess's "confession" comes earlier than I expected, right after Angel reveals that he has had a bad moment with a woman. Tess points out the similarity in their transgressions, though his is the only true transgression, expecting forgiveness. She doesn't get it. She returns to her mother . . . realizes she can't stay with her. Thoughts to suicide. Unhappiness that divorce is not possible. Departs. Tragic in that the two, if Angel could just see clearly, would indeed be a great couple, each adding to the other.  Nature as a definite force involved in the tragedy.  It's not neutral--when things go bad, the very skies mock Tess. Tess as unaware of the power of her bea...

Happy Valley Season 4

 Weakest.  Tommy is in prison.  His son, Ryan, is now 17.  Catherine the cop's sister, Clare, takes Ryan to visit Tommy in prison, without telling Catherine.  Not good.  Sisters have a break when Catherine finds out.   Plot two:  PE teacher, abusive to wife.  She is getting drugs from local Indian/Pakistani pharmacist. Husband finds out and has wife arrested!  Pharmacist worried . . . plots to kill husband.  Wife agrees, then changes her mind.  Pharmacist in a rage kills her. (All a bit of a stretch, as he is a mild mannered family man.) Tommy escapes from his court hearing, hides out, gets in touch with Ryan.  Plan is to go to Marabella, Spain together.  Tommy's "helpers" get worried about Tommy and decide to do him in.  Instead, he kills them . . . and is knifed himself.  He returns to Catherine's house, looks through a photo album showing Catherine took good care of Ryan, and decides not to kill her....

Napoleon 14 Amiens

"Ambassadors are essentially spies with titles."  Napoleon President of Italy . . . Peace treaty with England (Amiens) in March 1802, with Turkey in June 1802 . . . flawed peace treaty with England because there was no opening up of France for trade with England, infuriating the English who thought peace would mean trade. . . tourism, though--Brits come to Paris and admire Napoleon . . . British liberals enamored . . . Napoleon "consul for life" . . . lots of unsettled territories, Switzerland being the largest . . . Industrialization much greater in England than France . . . France in 1802 is about the same as England in 1780 as a manufacturing center . . . Napoleon is basically Anglophobic, complaining of any art work that celebrates English victories being shown in Louvre . . . peace unraveling . . . by 1803 . . .  War May 18, 1803! . . . Louisiana Territory sold, advantageous to both parties.  France gets money; USA gets land.  France avoids possible war with ...