Napoleon Bonaparte brought may reforms in France. These were as follows :
(i) Educational Reforms : Naopleon Bonaparte freed education from the control of the church, and brought it under state control. The national educational system was made extensive and effective at all levels. Separate arrangements were made for technical, vocational and military education. Napoleon himself appointed teachers in colleges and universities. On the secondary level, schools called ‘lycee’ were set up and normal schools were established to train teachers. Family discipline and military education was included in the curriculum. In this way, Napoleon aimed at strengthening his regime through education.
2. Making of the law code : Napoleon abolished all irrelevant and outdated laws and made them in conformity with the French system. Napoleon formed a committee of four law experts and attempted to compile French laws. The law code made by law experts in 1804 is called the ‘Napoleonic law code’.
It included five kinds of laws :
(i) Civil code,
(ii) Penal code,
(iii) Citizen Process code,
(iv) Criminal Procedure code and
(iv) Commercial code.
Human rights were declared in this law code. All were deemed equal before the law.
There was no social, political and religious discrimination in this code. Importance was given to equality, religion, tolerance, morality, joint family system, discipline, patriotism and right to private property while devising these codes In order to end the influence of the clergy, civil marriage and divorce were recognised. The position of men and women in a family was kept subsidiary to the male head. This code prepared on the basis of common sense and experience is considered to be a great contribution of Napoleon.
3. Reforms in administration : Napoleon attempted to strengthen the central administration. He exercised absolute control over state officials. Inefficient administrators were punished severely. Napoleon was a diligent, efficient and discipline- loving ruler. He divided the departments of France into sub-departments. He appointed military officers in every district. Napoleon invited the rebellious priests, feudals and elites again to France and settled them there. State services were opened to all classes.
4. Economic reforms : Napoleon established the ‘Bank of France’. He made income, expenditure and monetary system rationalised and organised. He encouraged domestic industries and imposed restrictions on British imports. Taxes were incresed on liquor, salt and tobacco. Distribution of food material and transportation system was started. Taxes were now collected by state officials. Napoleon imported raw material from French controlled territories at cheap prices and exported finished Products at high rates, thus increasing France capital. Indirect taxes were abolished, and direct taxes were collected stringently.
5. Religious Policy : Napoleon made a pact named ‘treaty of Concorde’ with the Pope in 1801. He declared the Church to be under ‘State control’. The priests were made salaried employees of the state. Napoleon wanted to appease the Roman Catholic people of France. He himself was not a follower of any religion. He believed that even if God did not exist, we would have to invent him. All other religions were granted freedom of worship in , France. This was a diplomatic victory of Napoleon. He was successful in suppressing the anti-revolution propaganda of religious followers. ,
