‘Napoleon established a police state in France in the years 1800-1814’ - POLICING

Question 1

Strict and centrally controlled policing by the gendarmerie (military police)

Answer 1

• Revolutionary times had taken second place to NG
• Became elite and efficient professional force made up of army veterans who had been vetted for their good service record
• Tasks included everyday law enforcement

Question 2

Administrative police (surveillance of correspondence)

Answer 2

• Civilian police
• Acted partly but not entirely as a secret police force
• Responsible for general surveillance
• Had to call on gendarmerie to carry out arrests they ordered

Question 3

Opposition to conscription?

Answer 3

• Opposition to conscription = not a successful police state
• For prefects, annual conscription levy was top priority and draft evasion the number-one problem in most départements
• HOWEVER routine stepped-up policing and coercion overcame resistance; Napoleon had begun drafting 60,000 annually, but by 1810 quota hit 120,000

Question 4

Not really a police state because…

Answer 4

• “Police state” suggests arbitrary use of power and unless you were actually an opponent of the Napoleonic regime, probably safe
• Policing wasn’t arbitrary/oppressive, was designed to increase freedom
• E.g. brigandage was suppressed and so citizens had a greater freedom to travel in safety