Chapter 22: The control of the Grand Empire Flashcards
What did Napoleon want for the administration of the Empire?
- destroy privilege
- enforce Napoleonic codes
- efficient centralised power among whole Empire
- same judiciary, legislature etc.
What did Napoleon introduce to parts of the Empire in terms of administration?
- bureaucracy of prefects, tax collectors gendarmes etc. established
- territories that are part of greater France (Pays Reunis) eg. Rhine, Belgium have departements and administration centred in Paris
- other territories not under direct French control more varied (Pays Conquis and Allies)
Who did Napoleon employ to administrate parts of Empire? Were they effective?
- employed Imperial administrators from incorporated territories who had a stake in the regime so would be loyal, many had experience
- varied in quality as some were honest and others were corrupt tax collectors etc. looking for profit
- sometimes N hired men humiliated in Paris to get them out of the way
Why were the gendarmerie introduced to the greater Empire? Were they effective?
- Gendarmerie used to reinforce power and authority of central govt. so no opposition against French rule
What was the 3 frontier system?
- Pays Reunis: governed by Paris and loyal + well integrated into French rule
- Pays Conquis: conquered, independent countries ruled by people approved by N
- Pay Allies: fully independent countries bought under N’s control
What was Napoleon’s main economic policy? Why is it short sighted?
- ‘France first’ which squeezed revenue out of satellite states by removing internal customs barriers etc.
- they couldn’t be self sufficient and the economies may collapse, can’t provide for Empire in long term
What were dotations?
- gifts of land passed down to impose Napoleonic rule taken from church or ex-rulers of land
How are the satellite state’s economies affected by the trade economic policies of Napoleon?
- mixed results
- as could only sell raw materials and food to French as couldn’t develop in certain industries as it would compete with France
- non-French manufacturers suffered as lost trade
- Belgium textile industry improved as don’t compete with Britain
- Rhine improved mining
- manufacturers can’t import new British technology
- silk industry suffered
How is the Empire affected by Napoleon’s tax revenue changes?
- increased efficiency as in Naples over 100 taxes replaced with a single tax + Holland land tax at lower rather than agricultural profits to help wealthy merchants
- maximise tax revenue, decrease self sufficiency and weaken economy
- increases French budget
How is the Empire affected by dotations?
- useful social purpose for Napoleonic rule as ensure loyalty
- weakened economy as harder for satellite states to be self sufficient
- Duchy of Warsaw lost 1/5 of revenue on dotations
How is agriculture in the Empire affected under Napoleon?
- not big impact as Empire still primarily agricultual with localised markets
- helped create single market in Italy
Were social policies in Napoleon’s early rule similar to France?
- Concordat of 1801
- Attack on feudal privilege
- Military conscription
When did Napoleon’s social policies become less consistent?
- 1808
What was included in the Concordat of 1801?
- end secular church privileges
- religious toleration
- church lands seized
- priests = civil servants
What caused resistance in the Concordat of 1801? How were they opposed?
- (1809) seized the Pope
- Jewish tolerance
- less power within church
- peasant upririsngs in Spain (1808)
