France Under Napoleon - by Louis Bergeron (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A classic social history of France in the Napoleonic period--now available in English to a new generation of readers

Presented here is an English translation of a study that was part of a distinguished French series on the country's post-Revolution history. Unlike much Napoleonic literature that features the personality and foreign policy of the emperor, France under Napoleon describes the condition of France and the French people during the fifteen years immediately following their great revolution.

Applying the methods of the new social history (Annales school), Louis Bergeron covers the political, administrative, social, economic, and cultural facets of the First Empire. He begins with the domestic program and institutions under Napoleon and the fervor of the new chief of state as he sought to establish a coherent, efficient, and thoroughly controlled regime. Bergeron then examines the opposition to his system and the reasons behind the imperfect realization of his ideal. It discusses population and demographic trends, social structure, and economic activity--all of which eluded Napoleon's grasp.

Review Quotes

"Bergeron, a distinguished French historian with sympathies for the Annales school, has produced an excellent social history of France in the Napoleonic period. . . . Highly recommended."-- "Library Journal"

About the Author

Louis Bergeron (1929-2014) was director of studies at the Ecole des hautes etudes en sciences sociales in Paris and the author of many books. R. R. Palmer (1909-2002) was a distinguished historian who wrote and translated many books on French history, including Georges Lefebvre's The Coming of the French Revolution (Princeton).