Opposition

Question 1

Who was Louis Napoleon Bonaparte? (Background info)

Answer 1

• Nephew of Napoleon I
• Elected president of the French Second Republic 1848 by an overwhelming majority vote by male suffrage (74.8%) after revolutions ended Louis Philippes July monarchy (1830-1848)
• Shallow opportunist whose only asset was a glorious name or visionary reformer who was able to reconcile liberty, authority and national prestige?

Question 2

Why might people have voted for Napoleon in 1848? (more background info!)

Answer 2

• Prestige conferred by the name Bonaparte, many people thought back to the First French Empire under Napoleon I where France was a significant power
• 1848 he published his essay ‘extinction du pauperisme’ which was widely circulated in his election campaign, promising to improve the lives of the poor

Question 3

How did Napoleon build up his peoples loyalty 1848-1852?

Answer 3

• under took official tours throughout the country
• He won the loyalty of the catholic church e.g. Falloux law 1850 and defeat of the Roman Republic in 1849 to restore the power of the pope in the papalcy.

Question 4

What was the Falloux Law 1850?

Answer 4

Conceded significant power over education to the catholic church

Question 5

Why did Napoleon organise a coup d’etat 1851?

Answer 5

The legislative assembly showed no inclination to change the constitution so the president could serve a second term.

Question 6

What happened 2 Decemember 1851?

Answer 6

Coup D’etat:
- top opposition leaders were arrested
- six edicts published to establish rule of Louis Napoleon
- 26,000 members of opposition arrested, 9000 exiled to Algeria

Napoleon effectively dealt with opposition to establish French 2 Empire

Question 7

How did Napoleon declare himself emperor?

Answer 7

Exploitation of plebicites
- 20 December 1851 a referendum was held asking voters if they approved of the continuation of the authority of Napoleon and delegate him the powers to change the constitution (92% in favour)
- November 1852- second plebicite asking voters if they approved of the re-establishement of the French Empire under Louis Napoleon Bonaparte (96.9% in favour).
- 1852 he changed the constitution making him emperor for life

Question 8

What was Napoleons rule like between 1852 and 1860?

Answer 8

Authoritarian

Question 9

In what ways can the start of the second empire be reguarded as authoritarian?

Answer 9

• Political clubs suppressed
• National guard disbanded (except in Paris) as their republican sympathies did not suit Napoleons style of rule
• Decree Law 1852 meant that newspaper directors were permitted two warnings before they were liable to suspension should they criticise the regime

Question 10

What was the structure of the French government?

Answer 10

Upper house: Counseil D’Etat (counsel of state), consisted of Emperors nominees
Lower house: Corps Legislatiff (legislative body), elected, in 1852 they could not make amendments or debate government legislative proposals.

Question 11

How did Napoleon ensure loyalty to his regime within the government? (minimise opposition to his policies).

Answer 11

• He nominated officials for the Counceil D’Etat (usually high ranking military cheifs and cardinals)
• Election to the lower house only occured every six years and were heavily influenced by Napoleons prefects who heavily promoted Napoleons favoured candidates.

Prefects were appointed to keep order in localities after the disbanding of the national guard.

Question 12

How did Napoleon build up loyalty among his officials?

Answer 12

• Doubled the salary of prefects
• increased army officer pay
• enabled local government patronage
• increased support for the catholic church (increased government aid towards the repair of churches and payment of the clergy)

Having support from the church was beneficial as they could extend a more subtle influence over the population in favour of the regime.

Question 13

What were the roles of prefects and Mayors?

Answer 13

(introduced by Napoleon to keep order in localities after the disbanding of the national guard)
- keep the emperor informed of the state of public opinion
- serve emperors interests in local affairs, for example at elections they were under intruction to aid government candidates while hindering opposition. Their sucess is notable as in 1852 only 9 opposition candiates were sucessful/

Question 14

Summary Card: In what ways was Napoleon sucessful in limiting opposition?

Answer 14

• exploitation of plebicites
• esured loyalty of officials and the church
• suppressed potential opposition (e.g. political clubs and newspapers)
  -authoritarian style of rule until 1860

Question 15

Summary card: In what ways was Napoleon not sucessful in limiting opposition?

Answer 15

• Involvment in Italian war of liberation 1859 angered catholics
• Liberal concession in the 1860s
• unpopular policies such as free trade led to the rise of opposition

Question 16

Why were catholics angered at French involvement in Italy?

Napoleon was encouraged to ‘do something for Italy’ after the Italian Patriot Orsini attempted to assinate him in 1858

Answer 16

Unification blocked French influence in the region. French had promised to maintain the authority of the pope in the Papal States in the congress of Vienna 1815. 1867 French had to provide troops to prevent Garibaldi taking Rome. 1860 Cavour invades the Papal States, Napoleon turns a blind eye to this action. French Catholics were angered that the pope had lost the papal states, France then are able to protect Rome itself until 1870 (where they have to withdraw troops due to the Franco-Prussian war).

Question 17

Why was there increased domestic hostility/opposition from business owners?

Answer 17

• 1864 strikes were legalised, 1868 trade unions legalised. Undermined their authority.
  -Napoleon recognised that French Industry was protected by high tariffs and lagged behind foreign competitors. As a result he made free trade agreements with Britain, Belgium and German Zollverein. His hopes were not fullfilled as it led to deterioration in the economy.

Question 18

What is an example which shows rising opposition to Napoleon?

Answer 18

1857- only 5 opposition members had seats in the national assembly, this rose to 32 six years later.

Question 19

What was the tone of the empire after 1860?

Answer 19

Movement away from dictatorship, Napoleon began to make liberal concessions. By 1869 they were known as the liberal empire.

Question 20

What liberal concessions led to the rise of opposition?

Answer 20

• 1861 Corps Legislative were given right to debate and suggest amendments to goverment proposals. News papers could report on Parliamentary debates.
• 1867 both houses could question ministers policies
• 1868- puplic meetings permitted and laws on newspapers relaxed. As a result mainly hostile newspapers developed. The prosecution of editors created martyrs and troops were being used against public demonstrations in the streets 1869.
• 1870 Corps Legislative could introduce its own laws

Question 21

What party gained support during 1860s?

Answer 21

The Third Party led by Adolphe Theirs- Republican

Question 22

What policy did republicans and public oppinion oppose? What were the consequences?

Answer 22

Napoleon attempted to introduce conscription to the Franco-Prussian war but was met with feirce resistance. As a result he withdrew his proposal meaning France faced Bismark outnumbered 275,000 troops to 450,000 Germans. Due to the opposition which had arisen in the 1860s due to the liberal concessions, the Third Party had enough support to seize power when Napoleon was captured at Sedan 1870. Although initially a provisional government, they became the Third Republic of France in 1875.

Question 23

How sucessful was Napoleon at limiting opposition?

Answer 23

Quite effective until 1860. Liberal concessions after this point gave opposition chance to rise meaning that when Napoleon was captured his regime ended as other parties had gained enough strength to seize power.