Questions in History: Did Napoleon betray the French Revolution?

During this talk we will take a closer look at Napoleon's ruling of France and explore if he betrayed the principles of the revolution.
Napoleon Bonaparte’s seizure of power in France in 1799 is generally seen as bringing a close to the French Revolution. Over the next fifteen years, Napoleon would rule in an increasingly authoritarian fashion, crowning himself emperor and dispensing with all but a façade of popular input into government. Yet can Napoleon really be accused of betraying the principles of the Revolution? This talk with Graeme Callister (York St John University) will discuss how far Napoleon adapted, adopted or abandoned the ideas and ideals of the French Revolution during his decade-and-a-half at the head of France.

[@dionisioperricciruis3118]

This talk is amazing. I can only thank you two for all the information. Congratulations!

[@davidtomlinson7946]

Complete cherrypicking as a conclusion. Establishing a dynasty and putting your relatives and friends on foreign thrones is a continuation of monarchy, not revolution. Establishing a police state is taking the Ancien regime's aims to new heights. Serfdom and feudalism is replaced by conscription and internal controls. Reinstating the Black Laws and slavery was not just repressive but recessive and squarely betrayed the rights of man. The murder of Toussaint Louverture by starvation is the darkest stain on his reputation, and goes unsung by a largely biased academia.

[@graemecallister6426]

Thanks for the comment. All of this was, as I'm sure you noticed, addressed in the talk - including the term 'cherry picking'.
As the talk said, the early Revolution envisaged a constitutional monarchy (note that it's important not to confuse revolution and republic). The 'police state', such as it was, was developed under the Revolution; conscription was introduced by the Loi Jourdan of 1798, under the Directory; internal controls were (re)introduced during the Revolution. As the talk said, the reintroduction of slavery was a departure from revolutionary practice and principle - although racism was still very much alive and well during the revolutionary years. The murder of Toussaint Louverture was awful - but not much worse than what was done to some people under the Revolution.
All of this (aside from the last point) was touched upon. None of this is meant to defend Napoleon, incidentally. It is more an indictment of revolutionary failures.

[@ningen7736]

Cry about it lol