In order to determine whether Napoleon is a hero or a tyrant, the definition of the aforementioned terms needs to be clarified. For a leader to be considered a hero, he must always act in the best interest of his people. A hero would also recognize, understand, and obey the law. Making decisions for personal gain or goals, and causing his people to suffer, would identify a leader as a villain. A villain would also willingly put themselves above the law to achieve their personal goals. Napoleon Bonaparte, who came to power in 1804, was associated with both terms. His domestic policy aimed to bring equality and economic stability to France, in accordance with the promises of the revolution. His foreign policy aimed to spread the democratic ideals of the revolution to other European countries through military conquest. Napoleon would be considered a hero because of his egalitarian domestic policy and his necessary reform of the French economy, but his foreign policy would be considered villainous. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayNapoleon's domestic policies included the full implementation of his code, which would guarantee equality among all French people and could be considered a heroic action. As First Consul, Napoleon had the ability and opportunity to resolve the chaos in France. He was able to effectively recognize the core of the problem and develop a plan to put an end to it. “More than anyone in France, he understood that the greatest need was a thorough overhaul and unification of our law. » The Napoleonic Code was introduced by the Convention, then completed and implemented by Napoleon in 1804. The code remained true to the revolution's promise of equality and was the first of its kind in French history. It clearly addressed the laws on private property, individual freedom, the separation of institutions and the Church and criminal law. “This plan was remarkable for its excessive brevity; there was only one article for civil status documents, only one for the domicile, and the rest in proportion; the whole consisted of six hundred and ninety-five articles. The code allowed all positions to be assigned based on an individual's education rather than ancestry. This included all government positions and gave Napoleon the opportunity to build an effective and efficient bureaucracy. “Bonaparte had come to power without an organized faction of supporters; in occupying key positions, he had sought only talent and energy and pointedly ignored the political backgrounds of those who served him. The sharp increase in the number of candidates for each government position allowed Napoleon to elect the most competent and reliable men. The Napoleonic Code granted many freedoms to the French and allowed them to control important issues, which had previously been determined by either the state or the church. Through the establishment of his code, Napoleon was able to tame much of the chaos that had ensued and built up due to the French government's inconsistent laws. Napoleon's eradication and replacement of France's failing economy played a major role in France's ability to recover. stability and therefore classifies him as a hero. Napoleon understood the disastrous state of the French economy. He effectively used his authoritarian rule to implement effective changes to solve this problem. “Bonaparte found the treasury virtually empty and the government desperately dependent on loansprivate bankers. He encouraged his experts to reorganize the direct tax system, and through his nationwide bureaucracy he managed to enforce collection. Napoleon handed the reins of the French credit system to the Banque de France and ensured that the bank was controlled by financiers with extensive knowledge of economics. The financiers were also personally invested in the success of the French economy, which guaranteed the success of the Bank. This system, although strict, fulfilled its objective: “over the course of the following century, the franc was to become the most stable monetary unit in Europe”. This system helped stabilize the currency and improve the process of borrowing money from the government. Combined with an efficient bureaucracy, Napoleon's system brought economic stability to France. Napoleon's foreign policy and the methods by which he was able to achieve it were by definition villainous. Napoleon wanted to “liberate” other European countries and introduce them to the ideals of revolution. This goal, in itself, would be considered heroic. However, the realization of his foreign policy violated several laws of the Westphalian system. Its expansion neglected the neutrality of small states and the rule of non-intervention. Napoleon also used unethical tactics to force states to adopt his foreign policies and maintain his control over them. “That he ordered his generals and satraps to use preemptive terror to control their domains; who not only conquered and suppressed the war of other states, but also used tactics of intimidation, manipulation and extortion against them in peacetime, almost without regard to whether they were hostile or friendly. Napoleon's disregard for the law and his willingness to use violence to maintain control would be considered despicable acts. Although Napoleon succeeded in spreading equality in Europe, he failed to guarantee freedom. Napoleon overtaxed and enlisted his empire to provide sufficient financial means to maintain it and maintain control. It is evident that Napoleon not only broke the law to grant freedom to other states, but he also used those states for personal gain. This negates any aspect of heroism that might previously have been found in Napoleon's foreign policy. Many states that had originally welcomed Napoleon with open arms began to resist his control after his invasion – starting with Spain in 1808, followed by Russia in 1812 and Russia in 1813. This It was Napoleon's humiliation and exploitation that prompted Spain and Russia to resist because they were satisfied with the democratic reform Napoleon had brought about in the beginning. This would lead to more wars, which would put even more pressure on Napoleon's empire. Napoleon's foreign policy did not benefit his empire but only fueled his ambition. The continuous chain of wars took a heavy toll on France. After a while, even France became weary and resentful of Napoleon, who was bleeding his resources dry by maintaining a constant state of war. By 1813, “there was open dissension in France and dangerous agitation in Europe.” Also in 1813, after losing a large number of men at the Battle of Borodino, Napoleon abandoned the remainder of his men to return to Paris and raise another army of men. This would lead to a new wave of conscription from an already discontented France. It is evident that Napoleon's foreign policy brought little or no benefit to France and was not a strategy that kept the welfare of his empire in mind. Keep..