guest post by Basilisk
People say Napoleon was a warmonger. They say that because they were taught that in school. It’s not the teacher’s fault. That’s what’s written in the history books they are required to follow. If there is one truism everyone agrees on, it’s that the winners write the history books. The English won. They wrote the history book. Therefore Napoleon was a warmonger.
Do you know what the period before Napoleon came into power was called? The Reign of Terror. That’s what they, the French themselves called it. Napoleon brought normalcy. He brought stability. He brought France out of the Reign of Terror and brought prosperity. They should be lighting a candle every day to Napoleon for what he did for them.
And he wasn’t even actually French. His family was from Corsica and spoke Italian. Napoleon didn’t really learn French until he went to school there.
But he loved the French people and they loved him. He was elected First Counsel by an overwhelming majority. Oh, they say maybe the election was rigged? Okay. The French people passionately loved Napoleon.
People all throughout Europe loved him. People in England loved him. Which people? The common people and the young nobles who cared about the rights of man.
Napoleon was a populist. While the rest of Europe and England treated their serfs little better than slaves, Napoleon protected his people’s rights. Due Process. The Rule of Law. Equity. That is what Napoleon gave to the people in his empire.
He also resisted the English monopoly on global trade. They dealt in slaves and drugs as well as everything else. England dominated the seas with their navy and cowed Europe with the economic power they gained from it. Napoleon wanted Europe treated fairly. He resisted English dominance.
England could not abide Napoleon. He threatened their monopoly and he aroused the desire for freedom and justice in their servant class.
The English government could not rest until Napoleon was defeated. They sent assassins after him on a regular basis. Could you imagine if Russia sent assassin after assassin to kill Obama or Trump? Of course there would be war.
It took England 10 years and many, many armies to defeat Napoleon. Their prize? Getting to write the history books.
Do your own research.
