The Janus Face of Napoleon’s Rule: Reform and Exploitation

Abstract

Napoleon’s imperial rule over Europe possessed a Janus face, combining reform and innovation with subordination and exploitation. Reform and exploitation were tightly linked. Napoleon initiated changes in his subject states in order to be able to draft soldiers more efficiently and augment public revenues. Under pressure from Napoleon, allied states like Bavaria and Württemberg introduced reforms designed to improve their capacity to raise the military quotas they owed France and raise the taxes necessary to pay for their armies. The reforms were modeled on the French system and were also meant to integrate Europe and facilitate Napoleon’s domination over the Continent. Aside from those practical motivations, the Emperor was convinced that introducing the French system everywhere was advantageous to the occupied nations since, in his opinion, French laws and institutions were the best and most effective in Europe.¹ Marshal Masséna echoed this belief, typical of what Stuart Woolf named “cultural imperialism,” when he stated: “Only the efforts of France can stop Europe from falling back into barbarism into which her enemies are plunging her.” ² Napoleon was confident that the people of Europe would be grateful to him once they recognized the benefits of the French organization.