18. Social Change Flashcards
Revise
What was the contradiction of Napoleon’s promises of an ‘open to talent’ society.
While Napoleon said he was only interested in talent, he relied on civilians with education and wealth, the ‘notables’.
How did Napoleon use rewards to control France?
The Legion of Honour to reward those loyal to him, of 32,000 awards, only 1,500 went to civilians. Recipients received a salary and a star of the order.
Also introduced the Knights of the Empire award which was hereditary for 3 generations.
Introduction of a ‘Imperial Nobility’ in 1808 to award those with titles and were accompanied with gifts of income (25,000 livres) and land.
59% went to Military men, and 22.5% went to Ancien Regime Nobility.
Was only 1/7 of the Ancien Regime Nobility.
What educational reforms did Napoleon establish?
An ecole populaire (state-run primary school)
Lycees (boys schooling for 10-16) entrance came from an open scholarship examination.
Allowed private and church schools as long as the instilled Napoleon’s virtues.
Lycees, out of 6400 pupils offered 2400 places to Napoleon’s Nobility.
Established the Imperial University in 1808 which was a supervisory institution for all education to conform to standards.
Education system ensured patriotism and loyalty as well as educated elites.
Women under Napoleon?
Divorced his love-affair wife Josephine and married the Archduchess of Austria. Believed women’s roles were limited at marriage and acquiring property. Limited female education at Primary level.
Slightly increased women’s property rights.
While women couldn’t sell property without the husband’s consent, they possess immovable goods, however would have to pay 1/3 of profits into a joint income pool with her husband to sell goods.
Divorce law favoured the husband, a husbands adultry had to happen at home while any women’s adultry could end in a 3 month gaol sentence. .
Censorship and propaganda?
January 1800 reduced number of Parisian newspapers from 73 to 13. 1801 only 4 papers were allowed to publish.
Could only publish official news (issued by Napoleon’s ministers) and military bulletins (written by Napoleon).
Reduced publishing houses from 200 to 60. Police could raid publishers and seize books and fine publishers.
Established a Censorship Board in 1810.
Napoleon used propaganda to project his image. Commissioned architects and used show pieces such as the Arc de Triomph to glorify the regime.
How did Napoleon reconcile with the Church?
Napoleon decreed Churches could open whenever. made Sunday a day of rest again. Used the strong position of France in Italy to extract favourable terms for his Concordat with the Pope.
Concordat: Pope was recognised as Head of the Catholic Church
Catholicism was recognised as ‘religion of the majority’
Catholic worship became freely available.
Also granted protection to the Protestants and Jews in France.
However the relationship with the Pope declined after the concordat.
Napoleon humiliated the Pope at his coronation, introduced new Catholic Church ideas to be taught in school, such as Napoleon was an agent of God.
When Napoleon occupied Italy and imprisoned the Pope in 1809, it caused old tensions to resurface and forced the pope to sign the Concordat of Fontainbleau but never put into effect.
