Notes for Napoleon III and the Second Empire - IB | RevisionDojo
Napoleon III and the Second Empire Notes
During Napoleon III's Second Empire (1852–1870), his appointee Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann carried out a massive public works program to transform Paris. His urban renovation, known as "Haussmannization," replaced the medieval city's dense and unsanitary neighborhoods with the wide boulevards, public parks, and distinctive architecture that define the city today.
Domestic Policies
Napoleon III presented himself as a modernizer, focusing on economic growth and urban development.
He supported industrial expansion, railways, banking, and investment in new industries, which boosted France’s economy.
The rebuilding of Paris by Baron Haussmann made the capital a symbol of modernization with wide boulevards, improved sanitation, and impressive architecture.
The Napoleonic Code and strong centralized government remained, but censorship and police control limited political freedoms.
Stability and Opposition
At first, Napoleon III established stability by promising order after years of revolutions and instability.
His rule had authoritarian features: censorship of the press, restrictions on free speech, and limited opposition in elections.
Over time, opposition grew among republicans, liberals, and socialists, especially as economic hardship affected workers.
The middle class became frustrated with lack of political freedoms, while workers resented poor labor conditions.
Periods of Reform
In the 1860s, Napoleon III began introducing liberal reforms to win back support.
He allowed more freedom of the press, reduced censorship, and gave the legislative body more influence.
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Note
Napoleon III, born Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte, was the nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte and became the first President of the French Second Republic in 1848. He later declared himself Emperor of the French in 1852, establishing the Second French Empire.
He was the first President of France to be elected by a direct popular vote.
His reign marked a period of significant transformation in France, both domestically and internationally.
Analogy
Think of Napoleon III as a CEO who first gains power through a democratic process but then restructures the company to give himself more control, while still aiming to modernize and expand the business.
Note
Napoleon III's rise to power was marked by a combination of political savvy, popular appeal, and strategic maneuvering.
