The impact of Napoleon's rule on France - 1799-1815 - NEEDED FOR EXAM Flashcards

Financial and economic policies and problems: taxation; the central economy; the impact of war and the Continental System; degree of economic change Have a mindmap on

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1
Q

What 3 taxes did Napoleon keep from the Directory?

A
  1. Contribution fonciere
  2. Contribution personnel mobiliere
  3. Other direct taxes including customs duties
    D
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2
Q

What was the contribution fonciere and what did it provide?

A

A land tax that provided the bulk of government revenue

D

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3
Q

What was the contribution personnel mobiliere?

A

A tax on personal property such as servants and carriages

D

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4
Q

What was an issue with the contribution personnel mobiliere?

A

It brought in a small amount of revenue and was sometimes more costly to collect than it was worth
D

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5
Q

What did Napoleon seek to do?

A

Increase tax revenue and make the collection of it more efficient
D

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6
Q

What did Napoleon’s officials begin to do in 1807?

A

Began drawing up a new cadastre (land register)

D

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7
Q

What was the purpose of a new cadastre (land register)

A

To measure the value of land in order to recalculate the land tax
D

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8
Q

What two things would the new cadastre do?

A
  1. Make the tax fairer
  2. Ensure that farmers who had increased the value of their land paid more tax
    D
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9
Q

How much of France had been assessed by 1815 for the new cadastre?

A

1/5

D

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10
Q

What was allowed from September 1803?

A

Towns and cities were allowed to levy an octroi on consumer goods entering their administration
D

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11
Q

What did the octroi levy gradually replace?

A

The contribution personnel mobiliere

D

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12
Q

Where were tax collectors and inspectors appointed?

A

To each departement

D

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13
Q

How were tax collectors and inspectors paid?

A

On proportion to the taxes they collected

D

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14
Q

What did tax collectors/inspectors have to give to receivers?

A

Their tax receipts

D

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15
Q

What was subject to inspection by central government?

A

Tax receipts handed from tax collectors/inspectors to receivers
D

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16
Q

Was the method of tax receipts and payment on proportion to the amount of taxes paid an efficient method?

A

Yes it was much more efficient than the way the Directory collected taxes
D

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17
Q

What did the Constitution of Year VIII establish?

A

A commission to take responsibility for accounting of state revenue and expenditure
D

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18
Q

What came from the establishment of the commission taking responsibility for state expenditure/revenue, and when?

A

The Cour des Comptes of September 1807

D

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19
Q

What was the Cour des Comptes?

A

A central bureau for handling and auditing the state’s finances
D

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20
Q

What did the Cour des Comptes do?

A

It kept detailed accounts of income and expenditure and ministries and had to have certified authorisation for the release of money
D

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21
Q

What were any improvements in tax assessment and collection offset by and why?

A

The cost of maintaining the army and the Empire due to almost continuous war
D

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22
Q

What did the government rely heavily on?

A

Indirect taxes on a range of goods including playing cards

D

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23
Q

What happened to the taxes on alcohol, salt and tobacco?

A

They quadrupled

D

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24
Q

What did the impact of increasing taxes on alcohol, salt and tobacco do to the working class?

A

It hit them hard as they were regressive taxes

D

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25
Q

What became a worry as a result of the increased taxes disproportionately impacting working classes?

A
It wasn't ideal, as harsh taxation of the working class was one of the factors that caused the revolution in the first place
D
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26
Q

Who did the new taxation system indirectly favour?

A

The elite

D

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27
Q

Who did the tax burden heavily fall on?

A
The working class
D
28
Q

What was important about the reforms on tax collection?

A

It meant revenue actually reached the government, rather than being lost in transportation
D

29
Q

What did the stability and security of Napoleon’s position rely on?

A

More reform of the French finances

30
Q

What did the Directory try to do regarding currency issues and how?

A

Fix them by issuing Assignats

31
Q

How did Napoleon view Assignats?

A

He saw paper money as worthless

32
Q

What type of currency did Napoleon issue instead of Assignats?

A

Metal coinage

33
Q

What bank did Napoleon establish?

A

The Bank of France

34
Q

What was the purpose of the Bank of France? 2 things

A
  1. To provide credit for the government and entreprenurs

2. To produce and control gold and silver coins as a national currency

35
Q

What was the limitation on the paper currency the Bank of France could issue?

A

500-1000 franc notes

36
Q

What impact did the establishment of the Bank of France have on the French economy and why?

A

This boosted the French economy as it controlled the sale of government bonds and Napoleon could increase loans at reasonable interest rates so that they could be paid off

37
Q

Who was Jean Antoine Chaptal?

A

Interior Minister of Napoleon

38
Q

What 3 contributions did Chaptal make?

A
  1. He established the Bureau of Statistics
  2. Formation of a society in 1801 which offered prizes and held exhibitions of products of the French industry.
  3. Established the Councils of Agriculture, Arts and Commerce in each of France’s departments
39
Q

What was the purpose of the Bureau of Statistics?

A

To gather data from the departments on conditions of agriculture, commerce and industry

40
Q

When were the Councils of Agriculture, Arts and Commerce established?

A

1801

41
Q

What did Chaptal’s contributions increase? 3 things

A

Mechanisation, mass production of goods and technical innovation.

42
Q

What was Napoleon more interested in which caused Chaptal to step down?

A

Luxury goods which would reflect well upon his regime,

43
Q

Between 1811-1812, how much did wool yield increase by?

A

400%

44
Q

How much did exported silk value increase by?

A

26 million francs to 64 million francs

45
Q

What did the wartime economy stimulate demand for?

A

Armaments (military weapons and equipment)

46
Q

What did the demand for armaments come at the expense of?

A

The peacetime economy which lacked investment

47
Q

What reduced the aggregate demand in the economy?

A

Labour was lost due to conscription

48
Q

In order to finance the war, what five things did Napoleon do?

A

1) tightening taxation
2) conscripting soldiers at low wages
3) taking out loans
4) selling land - like Louisiana to the USA
5) exploiting conquered territories

49
Q

What did the British naval blockade do?

A

Cut off the Atlantic trade

50
Q

What was a consequence of the British blockade?

A

French trade moved toward Europe

51
Q

What was the continental system?

A

The banning of all British trade with France and all its “allies”

52
Q

When was the continental system created?

A

1806

53
Q

What was the aim of the continental system?

A

To weaken Britain by closing European markets.

54
Q

What did France hope Britain would do in response to the continental system?

A

Hoped that Britain would sue for peace so France would get the Atlantic trade back as well as boosting French production to fill the gaps in the European markets.

55
Q

What three reasons caused the continental system to fail?

A
  1. French Navy was not strong enough
  2. Smuggling thrived (even officials indulged in illegal practices)
  3. British retaliation hit French producers
56
Q

What was Napoleon forced to do in 1810 after the continental system failed?

A

Ease the continental blockade in 1810, permitting some licensed trade.

57
Q

From which year were British goods prohibited from entering French territories?

A

1893

58
Q

What two issues significantly limited the degree of economic change in France?

A

Demand and supply side issues

59
Q

What two reasons caused limited demand?

A
  1. Population was agricultural and heavily taxed

2. Low standards of living

60
Q

What two reasons caused a lack of incentives to work in industries?

A
  1. Poor living conditions in the cities

2. The army was more of an attractive career

61
Q

Why was there a loss of markets in the war?

A

There were no incentives to invest and therefore a lack of development

62
Q

What was the bourgeoisie by and what was the result?

A

They were satisfied by the biens nationaux - no incentive to engage in trade or invest

63
Q

What were three consequences of the poor infrastructure in France?

A
  1. Bad roads
  2. Labour immobility
  3. Communication issues
64
Q

Why was farming unprofitable?

A

Maximum prices and food price controls made no incentive for farmers to invest and grow

65
Q

What was the result of Napoleon establishing the Bank of France and switching the currency to coins?

A

This control helped boost the economy as people and businesses felt safe enough financially to take out loans and buy government bonds.

66
Q

What happened to harvests in 1809 and 1811?

A

They were very bad harvests, leading to damages to the economy due to a high reliance on agriculture