Napoleon in 1812
Chapter 95:

17. The Great – 1

Fontaine Street: Paris is having such abeautiful time(Belle Époque) right now! Peaceand glory to His Majesty!

March 15, 1817. If it hadbeen theoriginalhistorical flow, Francewouldhave hadtosuffer the humiliation of givingupParis, the city of light, to itsold enemiesinexchangefor the great failure of the Russian expedition, losing itsvast territoryand becoming awar criminal.

However, inthis twisted worldview, one person appeared, and the years of humiliation anddisgracewere transformed into aprelude to glory filledwith light. The French Empireremainedundefeated. And it was dominating WesternEurope, wavingits brilliant bannermore than ever.

“…This indicatesthat theimperialgovernment hasrepaid 84.6% of the total of 919.2 million francs borrowed from the Bardi, Switzerland, and Holland banks. This is the amountincluding the principaland interest thatthe governmenthas to pay back by early 1819.”

Martin-Michel-Charles Gaudin[1], the French Minister of Finance, expressedthe Empire’s debtsituation witha confidentvoiceatthe Louvre Palace, where the Imperial Council was held.

What this meant was clear. The French Empiresucceeded in shakingoff all theaftermath of the past wars, and thefinancesinvestedinthem could be used for socialcapital, militarycosts, and internal funds in thefuture.

France had paid interest and refunds on money borrowed fromseveral banks andcapitalistsintime without missinga singleone.

Itwas apolite and common-senseattitudethat wasquitefar fromthe usual French traditions of borrowing money. Many banks, investmentsand securitiesfirmswere surprisedbythe sincerity anddiligence of France.

The consistency shown in therepayment of large loans soonled to afavorable fiscal evaluation and an increase in financialcreditworthiness.

In the end, it became a goodmeanstopromote thepowerofthe imperial economytoneighboringcountries and to advertisetointernational capitalists that theywere reliable investment targets.

Howwouldthey notuse sucha great position politically? Currently, notonly members of the Imperial Council but also reporters from major media outletsdispatched were presentatthe meetingtolisten to eachministry’s declaration.

JustasBritain’s Westminster Parliamentinvited outsiderstoshow offits political achievementsateveryopening ceremony, the French EmpireParliament also organized similar events. Political journalists busily wrote down the words of theMinisterofFinance Gaudin.

“All of thisisthe achievement of His Majesty the Emperor, whoreorganizedthe system to revivethe dying economytoimprove thenation’sfiscal situation andefficientlyutilize thewasted budget of each ministry.”

“Long liveHis Majestythe Great Emperor!!”

“Hurrah!”

Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap!

They shoutedhurrah eventhough no one asked them to. Spontaneous cheersand applause resonated in theLouvre Palace.

Reputationand treatment, that deserved a standing ovationrather thanfrowns evenout of context, werea higherpraise thanany other rhetoric or reverence forthe heroatthe peakofhis great journey.

Napoleon Bonaparte, who still lookedsolemn at the centerofthe hall, smiled slightly as he heard thecheers of the passionate lawmakers andreporters.

‘Fouryearsand eight months have alreadypassed since I woke up in this body, in anotherworldthat sharesthe sameera. Looking back, it was a longand hardjourney.’

He wasstillfar awayastohow to return to theworldheoriginally lived in. Hecouldnot hidehis depressed feelings forthat part becausehecouldnot finda clue.

However, hewas proud of the feats that he had built up as theEmperor of theFrench Empire, even if he hadvery high evaluationstandards for himself.

Heendedasquickly as possible theRussian expedition, which wasreally reckless and foolish, as well as the long-drawn peninsula war.

He dideverything he could in theprocess, and won against bothBritain andRussia.

Needlesstosay, it wasanoverwhelming military achievement, butNapoleonwanted to achievea higherscoreinotherareas.

After endingthe war, hewas mostimmersedinthe nation’s overalleconomicreform and trade revolution, instead of fostering strongeliteforces or preparing fora newwar. S~ᴇaʀᴄh the NʘvᴇlFire.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

The first thing Napoleon did with François Carnot, after returning to Paris at theend of the peninsulawar, wastolowerforeign importand export tariffs and lift restrictions on exportitems.

Since tariffs betweenthe regionshad alreadybeen removed to revitalizethe local economy, the volumeoflogistics and transportation in Francehad beencontinuously increasingwhilenew bridges, roads, andcanals wereconstructed.

As logisticstransportationbetween citiesand provinces becameactive, it wasnatural to move toward thegrowth of overseas trade. Thereduction of tariffsand the lifting of export restrictionswere a stepping stone.

With theabolition of the Imperial-Federal Mobilization Decree, the growthofyoungworkers, logistics, andthe resumptionoftradecombined, gavethe Empire’s economya driving force to growsignificantly. And whatfocused on this was also the application andcommercializationofthe machinery industry reproduced in France.

“Last year(1816), theEmpire’stotalexports were about 248 million francs. It’s only beenthreemonths since 1817, but if this trend is maintained, it’sestimated thatitcouldsurpass thethreshold of 300 million francs. This is a veryencouragingfigure considering thatthe Empire’s total exportsfive years agowere farbelow100 millionfrancs.”

The Minister of Trade andIndustry, Jean-BaptisteCollin de Sussy[2], wasalso proud to revealthis beautifulachievementthat occurred duringhis term.

Thankstothe hardimitation of Britishpatents, France was able to promotecotton, paper, and craft industriesusingcoal andsteamengines on a national level, which soon led to an explosiveproduction.

Eventhough the coastal blockade was liftedand the exportroutes throughthe sea were secured, it was mostlythanks to the mechanical revolutionthat France’s exports jumped so sharply in sucha short periodoftime.

France’s economywas growingatnearly 10% every year. Thefact that internationalcapital wascurrently drawn to France hada good reason. Aftereconomicreform and trade revolution, it wasthe turnoftax reform andadministrativerevolution.

Previously, France’s tax systemwas still the same as the medieval one, which tooka certain amount perperson and a certainamount per householdatonce.

On top of that, taxes were createdunderall sorts of miscellaneousnames, suchasland tax, licensetax, toll tax, rental tax, window tax, clothingtax, etc. making it difficulttofind equityand rationality.

Inparticular, people’sdissatisfaction was so great because of the severeexploitation of French farmers and footwear merchants.

Napoleon abolishedthem all. In addition, incometax and direct-indirecttax wereapplied after theBritish taxsystem, anda newconcept of ‘progressiveincome tax’ was introduced, which increased thetaxesbasedonthe money earned.

Thisprogressiveincome tax, whichwas first mentioned in British economist Adam Smith’s‘The WealthofNations'[3], was a system linking income andtaxes.

Peopleinthe low-incomeclasswere notified of their taxes in a muchsimpler andclearer waythan before, but even the amounttobepaid wasmuch less thanbefore.

Atfirst, theydoubted their eyes, butlateritbecame their daily routinetocheerand shout ‘Long livethe Emperor!’

Onthe contrary, complaints fromcapitalistswho had to payhuge taxes becamewidespread, asthey earnedhigh income.

They led a strong protest collectively, but Napoleon proceeded with it firmly.

‘Anyway, France is in themidstofeconomicdevelopmentand highgrowth, givinghuge profits to capitalists who invested money. Wecan soothe them roughlybyalleviatingsome regulations andsanctions on someofthe state monopoly industries.’

AsNapoleonexpected, the collective behavior of capitalists quicklysubsided. Becausethey knew it as well. Overall, there was no marketlike FranceinEurope, which wassuffering fromaneconomicdownturn.

This was theonly place where peoplecouldearn more evenifthey paid alot of taxes, so capitalists could notleaveFrance evenaftercomplaining. Thiskind of power wasunimaginable for Franceinthe past.

“I canconfidentlysay thatthe resultsofeconomicdevelopmentthat have led to thesuccess of national revenues arealso theresult of continuoussoundnationalmanagement.”

TheFrench Empire’s revenueoflast year (1816), announced by the Minister of theImperialTreasury, NicolasFrançois[4], was811.4 million francs, which might not seem muchdifferent fromthe previous revenueof668 millionfrancs in 1811. However, the twowere differentintermsoftransparency of tax revenue.

In1811, the total amount of revenue was large, but morethan 30% evaporated duetothe presence of illegalrecipients andcorrupted officials in themiddle.

Onthe other hand, mostofthe revenuecouldnow enter the state administration officeafterimproving the taxreceipt methodfor transparent tax procurement, establishing strict management norms for corruption, andpreventing leaking taxes.

Inotherwords, the soundnessofthe national finances had been raised through the properadministrationand system.

Since the revenue in 1811 includedall kinds of specialtaxestocoverwar expenses, thedifference widened evenmore.

French economists and officialsfrom theMinisterofthe Imperial Treasury all agreedthat this year’s revenue would surpassthe pastyears, and that the growthtrendwouldalso continue.

“At a timewhen most European countries continue to grow low without completelygetting outofthe economic downturn, allkindsofeconomicindicators andliving balanceare drawinganupward trend by the Empirealone. Now thepeople of the Empirespendtheirdays praising ‘Napoleonthe Great’ from morningmass to dinner. No one candeny that all of this is the resultofthe economic reform ledbyHis Majesty.”

The Great, theGreat. Napoleon heldupa complaintatthe words of an obedient lawmaker. He didnot knowthat he would be calledthe Great, which wasonly given to FriedrichII, Henry IV, andSuleimanI[5], when he hadnolegitimacy.

Journalists wererather actively blowingwind here, andeven artists who were allowedalmost infinite freedomofexpression were not sayingmuch about this atmosphere.

Even those picky people were acknowledginghis achievements. Napoleonrecalledhis New Year’sspeech at La Floretta Square in Paris earlier thisyear.

‘Courageous and righteouscitizensofFrance, whom I love. I would like to say thank youfirstfor yourinterestand effort in comingall the wayhere to fill the seats. I am very happy to see you. And there aresomany thingsI want to tellyou.’

‘I havenot forgotten howweworked together and supportedthe burden until theend whenthe Empire waswalking on a difficult path. Youare the first contributor to thecreationofa prosperous Empire today. I hope you will always remember it andbecome aGaul youcan be proud of.’

‘It’s not just about loyaltyand dedicationtorisk your lives to fight for thesake of your countryagainst external enemies. It canbesaid that living your daily life, fulfillingyour dutiesinyour positions, defending your families, andliving an honest life are ultimately the wayfor the country. In that respect, you arewarriorswho havedevoted themselves to the Empireenough! I willneverforget thatcommitment.’

There were no morepeople who lookeddoubtfully at Napoleon standing on thepodium. As if staring at the stars in thenightsky, their eyes lookingatthe Emperorshonebrightly.

ThecitizensofParis, who could be said to be the biggest beneficiariesofFrance’seconomicgrowth, fell in lovewith theEmperor more thananyone else, as he allowedthem to enjoy a morerelaxed, abundant, and worry-free lifethan before.

At theend of his speech, citizens shoutedNapoleonBonaparte’sname, followedby‘The Great!’. That was when Napoleon was called‘The Great’ for the first time.

When he first stepped intothis world, the evaluationofthe man named Napoleon Bonapartewas dividedinto twoextremes.

He wasnotoriouslyknownasthe god of war, the king who conqueredEurope, theCorsica villager whobecame Emperor, the unstoppable dictator, the terrible war fanatic, andthe traitorwho corrupted therevolutionary spirit.

In Spain, Austria, and Prussia, he was commonly calledthe devil of hell, the slayer, and thesecond Black Death.

Even withinthe Empire, such differentopinionsofNabotalso meant that his position wasatstake. But Napoleon reversed theevaluation of this body.

‘The moreI receive these compliments and praises, thebetter I want to do. Dear citizens of France, whatmore shouldI do foryou to be satisfied with myself?’

‘The Great’ wasstillanunfamiliar title. However, Napoleondid not want to disappointthe people’s expectations.

Napoleon got up from his seat while listening to theadmirable applause of those who filledthe hall. Finally, it was histurn to read his declaration.

TL notes

[1]Martin-Michel-Charles Gaudin

[2]Jean-Baptiste Collin de Sussy

[3]TheWealth of Nations

[4]Nicolas François, Count Mollien

[5]Frederick theGreat,Henry IV of France,Suleimanthe Magnificent

Sᴇarch the N0vᴇlFirᴇ.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.