Napoleon

[Az]

All empires fall.

My claim is that this empire would allow the same rate of scientific advances, and perhaps even more, due to the development of areas such as Russia, Portugal, and Spain, whilst avoiding conflict in europe, for at least the 20th century.

[VetLegion]

Sometimes, abandonment of serfdom can be bad too ... in Dalmatia and other parts of Croatia (then under Habsburgs) Napoleon took, peasants were quick to drink away the land they got

also, going against the church in the traditionaly Catholic regions of north mediteranean, it had to backfire on the French

But Napoleon was very progressive. I read that they still use Code Civil in its original form somwhere in Canada

[Thorgal]

The rule of napoleon would benefit greatly places such as Spain

That is true, because in Spain we have never been lucky with our kings.
But in Spain a foreign government (even the best foreign government) would NEVER be admitted.

[Static Universe]

Napolean built a lot of public infrastructure and also liberated the Jews of Europe, granting them full citizenship. He triggered off the Zionist movement by coming within a hair of granting Palestine to the Jews.

[DuncanK]

Azazel,

Some empires fall faster than others, it depends on how well they govern. I think any people will accept foreign government until that government does poorly.

[mrmitchell]

So the consensus here is that he wasn't an evil little megalomaniac tinpot ruthless dictator.

Carry on with your discussion.

[Richelieu]

i"m just having al lot of fun with this. \but whoever said tha the truth was worth anything...

[Az]

Sometimes, abandonment of serfdom can be bad too ... in Dalmatia and other parts of Croatia (then under Habsburgs) Napoleon took, peasants were quick to drink away the land they got

I was talking about the abolition of serfdom, not the redestribution of the land. Besides, even that fact you've brought does not mean that the redestribution of land was a faulty idea. Maybe poorly implemented, but that is a different question.

also, going against the church in the traditionaly Catholic regions of north mediteranean, it had to backfire on the French

He also wasn't culturally agressive enough sometimes. He could've taken over Germany, and made it a part of France, since Germans was very open to his ideas and reforms, and weren't yet bound by the nationalism of the late 19th century.

But Napoleon was very progressive. I read that they still use Code Civil in its original form somwhere in Canada.

He was authoritarian, but his whole approach to government was groundbraking, rivalled only by... The American Revolution, at the time.

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by VetLegion
But Napoleon was very progressive. I read that they still use Code Civil in its original form somwhere in Canada

Probably in Quebec. Louisiana law is based upon the French civil code.