Introduction
There are numerous examples from the history of humanity that evidence the overwhelming impact outstanding persons had on the further evolution of society. They contributed to the development of various nations, enlarging territories, creating important social institutions, and altering the structure of society to produce the new environment beneficial for further growth.
These leaders stand at the origins of the majority of modern states as their activity contributed to the acquisition of the unique image of the country. Napoleon obviously belongs to this category of people as his actions impacted the whole civilized world and turned the course of history. His contribution to the development of the banking and administration system combined with the increase of the power of the French army and numerous diplomatic successes resulted in the formation of the new country that became one of the main forces in the world.
Analysis
Fighting against the coalition of the most powerful states of that period of time, Napoleon perfectly realized the necessity of the aligned mechanism of government that would be able to support his plans and provide the needed resources. However, the French Revolution and constant wars had a pernicious effect on the financial and administrative systems. Their functioning was not efficient and limited by the absence of a clear structure. Additionally, various financial clans controlled the financial flows and were influential enough to support the French Revolution.
For this reason, in 1800 Napoleon created the Bank of France and confirmed the banker’s monopoly over the financial system of the state by giving these clans the control over this institution (“Napoleon Bonaparte” para. 9). This decision could be taken as one of the greatest of Napoleon’s achievements it determined the further evolution of the state. It is proved by the fact that the modern banking system follows the same pattern (Kagan, Ozment, and Turner 89).
Another great Napoleons achievement is the creation of the Civil French Code that introduced significant changes in the structure of society forbidding privileges based on birth and highlighting the necessity of the usage of qualified professionals to perform government jobs (“Napoleon Bonaparte” para. 11). This document promoted the evolution of the democratic society and contributed to the increase in the efficiency of the state machine.
Therefore, Napoleons military campaigns conditioned the significant changes in the structure of the army and promoted the improvement of its image and authority. The battle of Austerlitz, the battle of Jena-Auerstedt, and a number of other epic victories evidence the efficiency of Napoleons strategies and emphasize his genius. Nevertheless, there were also many diplomatic successes that helped him to achieve his goal and obtain a numeral of allies.
However, he obviously made some mistakes that predetermined his failure. The entry into the war with the Russian Empire was one of the worst blunders. Napoleon was not able to fight against several powerful states. Moreover, the winter campaign against the country with severe climate conditions was doomed to fail (“Napoleon Bonaparte” para. 13). This mistake was fatal as it resulted in the collapse of the French Empire.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Napoleon was one of the greatest men in the history of humanity. Being a brilliant commander, he managed to win a number of significant battles and create new efficient strategies. Additionally, his activity aimed at the improvement of the states functioning resulted in the creation of the Bank of France and the crucial reorganization of the state machine. For this reason, his contribution to the development of France could hardly be overestimated.
Works Cited
Kagan, Donald, Steven Ozment and Frank Turner. The Western Heritage. London: Pearson. 2012. Print.
Napoleon Bonaparte. n.d.