Napoleon Debate- Clara

I found this debate to be very interesting. I was initially Con-Napoleon and that's why I chose that side for the debate. But as the debate continued and as I was gathering information beforehand, it definitely seemed like France benefitted from Napoleon's reign. I think Aidan did a good job of counter-attacking all our points.  He made the point that no one else was willing to step up to power while the revolution was winding down. The King was gone, and anyone could have decided to be ruler and continued the Revolution in it's original goals, but no one did that. Napoleon gained control and was able to pull France together and turn it into a major super power, and while he may or may not have stayed completely true to the Revolution's ideals, (since he abolished freedom of speech and re established slavery and took away womens rights), he still did the best anyone could have done. With a country that large with so many unsatisfied and angry people, he was incredibly skilled at organizing and putting the country back in order. It had obviously been in a horrible state of chaos prior to his reign. I do not think that he was a 'man of the Revolution'. As Sonya said on our group, he took away rights from the people and basically re established a familial line of monarchs. It was like he was another King, although he called himself Emperor. He was somewhat progressive, since he granted all citizens 'equality' under the law, and strengthened the middle class, which was a change from the hierarchal and stiff Estate system from before. But for African Americans and women, there was little to no equality. Women couldn't own property and divorce became more difficult for women. I think Napoleon overall benefitted France, and without him, France may not have ever come out of its chaotic state of Revolution. Robespierre had been killed, so what leader did they have left? It was up for Napoleon to take control.