Napoleon III and the Second Empire Notes

Domestic Policies

1. Napoleon III presented himself as a modernizer, focusing on economic growth and urban development.
2. He supported industrial expansion, railways, banking, and investment in new industries, which boosted France’s economy.
3. The rebuilding of Paris by Baron Haussmann made the capital a symbol of modernization with wide boulevards, improved sanitation, and impressive architecture.
4. The Napoleonic Code and strong centralized government remained, but censorship and police control limited political freedoms.

Stability and Opposition

1. At first, Napoleon III established stability by promising order after years of revolutions and instability.
2. His rule had authoritarian features: censorship of the press, restrictions on free speech, and limited opposition in elections.
3. Over time, opposition grew among republicans, liberals, and socialists, especially as economic hardship affected workers.
4. The middle class became frustrated with lack of political freedoms, while workers resented poor labor conditions.

Periods of Reform

1. In the 1860s, Napoleon III began introducing liberal reforms to win back support.
2. He allowed more freedom of the press, reduced censorship, and gave the legislative body more influence.
3. Trade unions were legalized, and workers gained the right to strike (1864).
4. These reforms moved the regime from authoritarianism towards a more liberal empire, but many saw them as too late.

Foreign Policies

1. Crimean War (1854–56)
   1. France allied with Britain and the Ottoman Empire against Russia.
2. Italy (1859–60)
   1. Napoleon III supported Piedmont-Sardinia against Austria, helping Italian unification.
3. Mexico (1861–67)
   1. Napoleon tried to establish a French-controlled empire in Mexico by installing Maximilian of Austria as emperor. The plan failed after U.S. pressure and Mexican resistance, damaging France’s reputation.