Chapter Sixteen | Establishment of the Consulate Flashcards
How did Sieyès prepare for the Coup of Brumaire?
On 23 Oct 1795 - he bribed council members, arranged for Napoleon’s brother to be President of Council of 500 & deployed troops around Paris
What was the purpose of Coup of Brumaire?
Sieyès planned to persuade Directors to resign & persuade the 2 Councils to commission a new constitution (on 9 Nov 1795)
Why was the Directory unpopular?
Commanded little authority because fears of both a Jacobin resurgence & royalist restoration produced instability across France
What happened during the Coup of Brumaire?
Sympathetic members of Council of Ancients warned others of Jacobin conspiracy & both Councils moved from Paris to Saint-Cloud to get away from potentially violent pro-Jacobin mobs
Napoleon took command of troops in Paris & Murat moved 6,000 men into position around Saint-Cloud
Most Directors resigned (inc Sieyès) & others were put under house arrest - but, Councils continued to meet
What was the result of the Coup of Brumaire?
Councils realised they’d been tricked on 10 Nov & didn’t declare support for Napoleon (as he had expected)
Napoleon stormed into both Councils, but his brother got the palace guards to intervene (saving Napoleon from violent threats!) & the remaining Council of Ancients (who did not flee - some even jumped out of windows!) gathered to form the Consulate (Napoleon, Sieyès & Ducos elected as Consuls)
When was the Constitution of Year VIII adopted?
24 Dec 1799
What was the structure of the Consulate?
The First Consul shared executive power w/ 2 others - appointed members, directed policy & initiated legislation
Council of State was nominated by First Consul - advisory body
The Senate comprised of 80 members appointed for life - could override legislature (duty to “Protect Constitution”)
The Legislative Body comprised of 300 members - voted on legislation but couldn’t discuss it
The Tribunate composed of 100 members - discussed legislature but couldn’t vote on it
What was the order of voting for the Consulate?
- All men over 21 who had lived in the same house for a year (6,000,000 voted for 10% to from communal list)
- Communal list citizens (600,000 selected 10% of themselves to form a departmental list)
- Departmental list citizens (60,000 voted 10% of themselves to become notables)
- Notables (6,000 selected by Senate to form Tribunate & Legislative Body
What were the main similarities between the Year VIII Constitution from that of Year III?
2 part legislature
Legislature can propose new policy; III yes; VIII no (wanted stronger executive control - picked Councils and executive can overrule legislature)
What were the main differences between the Year VIII Constitution from that of Year III?
III gave ordinary citizens more voting power (VIII had to have lived in a house for a year! & less power)
VIII took away freedoms granted in 1789 (E.g. taxed more heavily than III)
III gave Directors a term length of 1yr (VIII gave the Consuls 10yrs!)
VIII gave Napoleon necessary constitutional license to take more personal power
III had five ‘leaders’ (VIII only had First Consul!)
VIII more autocratic due to First Consul’s ability to control legislature (presence of hierarchy more prominent!)
VIII more in line w/ revolutionary ideas (E.g. universal male suffrage)
How far was the Year VIII Constitution a departure from that of Year III?
“Napoleon ensured a constitution that served his ambition”
“No mention of citizen rights, emphasising the authoritarian nature of the new regime”
