Film Napoleon criticism around the planet accepted it rather coolly – besides in our editorial board It was considered that he did not full fulfill his hopes. French reviewers added their 3 cents, in addition to accusing Anglo-Saxon creators of misunderstanding the past of France. The problem is that the French themselves in this field are far from reaching a consensus.
Scott's movie created an chance for fresh polemics on Bonaparte's function in the past of the country. no of this is better illustrated than the fact that on precisely the same day the left-wing magazine “L’Humanité Magazine” published a number with Napoleon’s broken image and the signature “ending with a myth” on the cover, and the right-wing “Valeurs Actuelles” responded with the title “emperor anti-woke” under the proudly seated ruler of France.
The highest incarnation of the national spirit of France...
There are many reasons why the French can look with admiration and awe at the large leader whose armies have been threatening throughout Europe, from Lisbon to Moscow. Besides, not only them, due to the fact that Napoleon's story influenced the imagination of people from all corners of the world, as Poles know very well. In the anthem we hear that “Bonaparte has set us an example of how to win our mothers”, and we have never lacked Ignacy Rzecki sighing to the Emperor of France.
Today, a revolutionary general and later monarch praise the right hand above the Seine. Ciotti and Bardell, the Conservative and national leaders, are taking the level in this issue. The erstwhile explains that Napoleon is the glory and embodiment of the political will of the people. According to both, the emperor is besides a model for modern politicians. In a akin tone, the leading utmost right of Éric Zemmour speaks straight of the request to return to bonapartist ideals, which are intended to correspond to France's destiny. In the context of the fresh movie of conservative commentators, it hurts the most that it does not show Napoleon's size decently – it appears more as a "surveillance" which is driven by emotional impulses.
This is not the biography that the emperor's supporters hoped for. Another material published by ‘Valeurs Actuelles’ is an interview with Joachim Murat, a descendant of a Napoleonic marshal of the same name. He explains that Bonapartism guarantees national and national sovereignty, and the Emperor’s criticism comes from the side “neo-Stalin intelligence that attacks everything that makes France greatIt’s okay. ” Murat, according to the line of right-wing writing, ties charges against Napoleon to the movement woke, allegedly seeking “forget” the historical national heroes. However, he does not mention that the criticism of the winner at Austerlitz is much older than “woke Left’.
Is the undertaker of revolution and despot?
The answer “L’Humanité Magazine” to Napoleon’s hagiography in the right-wing press is just a reminder of the little glorious works of the French emperor. While his undoubted successes include ordering revolutionary government and administrative innovation, he besides gave up many progressive changes and proposed a strategy based on authority. At the household level, this meant the power of the father and husband, and in the state, the emperor, who was served by the most extended police apparatus of that time in Europe and recently created aristocracy. Even the celebrated military successes obscure the fact that Bonaparte has left France in much truncated limits to those designated by the First Republic.
The darkest stain on Napoleon's résumé, however, is the restoration of slavery in French colonies, abolished respective years earlier by the Jacobic Republic. From the metropolis, troops were sent back to impose the dominance of white masters in Haiti Or Guadeloupe. On the last one, after bloody fighting, the opposition of the freedmen and opponents of slavery was broken, but the last 3 100 of them became faithful to the revolutionary deviance vive libre ou mourir They committed suicide by blowing themselves up.
A respected expert of the era, commenting on Napoleon’s historical role, besides spoke in “L’Humanité”.The kid of the Revolution and her gravedigger), linked the increasing interest in his or her individual to contemporary political tendencies. The coup d'état of 18 brumaire brought interior stableness at the expense of democratic freedoms – and this is something that besides present attracts many French people tired of the ruling class and seeking their savior. A number of politicians aspire to this role, although so far without success.
Napoleon (neither historical nor film) will not escape politics
Historians from around the planet argue about the Emperor of France, but nowhere does this debate substance as much as over the Seine. The researchers here agree in rejecting the black legend of Napoleon, sometimes portrayed as the precursor of Adolf Hitler – for suggesting this explanation any attack Scott's movie – but they argue about everything else.
The citizens are getting bits from these discussions, but that is adequate to divide the French in Bonaparte's assessment. On the 1 hand, it always holds highest positions in popularity rankings, on the another hand, recent poll indicated that only 1 3rd of respondents have a affirmative opinion of him, 1 5th negative, and the remainder are neutral or have no opinion. Strong positions are in minority, 13 and 2 percent respectively of respondents believe that Napoleon should be explicitly praised or condemned.
This makes power, building its historical narrative, tread carefully and focuss on the little controversial elements of Corsican biography. In 2021, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Napoleon's death, president Macro emphasized his importance for the creation of modern France, its law, administration and the full organization system. This is hard to overlook, for the spirit of the emperor is floating over the Republic to a greater degree than it might seem. Especially if we consider Gaullism to be the Republican equivalent of bonapartism, and there are reasons for that.
Built by De Gaulle V, the Republic can be considered to reconcile 2 competing currents from the political past of the country – republicanism and monarchism. Supporters of this solution praise him for bringing “order” through the implantation of a strong executive authority in the Republican system. Critics talk of a rotten compromise which, while in the gap between the 2 trends, yet does not satisfy any of them. While the left attacks the “Presidential Monarchy” and raises the slogan of the 6th Republic, the right now seems to be fighting to bring it even closer to bonapartist patterns. Therefore, the discussion about Napoleon is not truly a discussion about past in France, but a dispute about the modern Republic and how it should go.
