01

INTRO

Napoleon dissolved the Directory through a coup alongside Abbe Sieyes and took power over France. France returned to a monarchy through the consulate. At the time of the coup Napoleon was already a famed general who had won many battles for France versus the many nations attempting to take advantage of the weakened France.

02

STRUCTURE

The structure of The Consul was more centralized than the democratically styled governments of the past. This was done in order to bring rapid change and also order, something Napoleon valued to France.

03

NAPOLEON TAKES POWER

Originally, The Consul was supposed to be a temporary role for people elected, however eventually Napoleon declared himself consul for life, and the people did not object. He was autocratic and authoritarian, and provided less political freedoms in exchange for a more centralized, singular power.

04

SIGNIFICANCE

The significance of this was that France had sort of gone in a circle in that they had lost all they aimed to do in the pursuit of stability. Democracy had failed because it either took too long, or, was too violent to implement. France returns to a monarchy.