Why did France abolish a dictatorship in Louis XVI and then setup another in Napoleon?

Question

The French Revolution ended with Napoleon Bonaparte establishing a dictatorship similar in many ways to
the Old Regime that the Revolution had abolished. How did such a turnaround take place?

Answer 1

first off the people of France during this time for the most part adored Napoleon, he was a very charismatic person and scathingly brilliant. its easy to see why he was allowed to stay in power. and for the most part he was a great leader of both the army and the people of France. i know i will be tormented by others for saying that but he truly was. he put many bills into place that had a very positive effect on the country, he also turned France from a world power to the world power and of course every one knows his military successes and failures so i have no need to go on in that regard. this of course is a very simple explanation but one that holds firm. brilliant men/woman can easily grab power through manipulation and simply by being charming.

Answer 2

Well In the middle there was a little thing called "French revolution". Revolution was based on ideals of "libertè , egalité fraternitè". and also on a good rage against the old class system, privilege, and, in person, against anyone who was thought to be supported by that system. Revolution brought a deep change into French society, e real revolting of values. But also it brought instability, confusion and not a so big f grade of democracy (at the end power was always in the hands of a resticted group of giacobins) . Any action brings a reaction, and the reaction was the born of Napoleonic domination and empire , able to unify stability and a sort, of "Fidelity" to the old revolutionary ideals. All added to a great militar power, very welcome to the chauviniste society of that era.

Answer 3

Interesting question, my theory is that back then the French Democracy (one of the first post-classical greek democracies) was very young, the people were mostly uneducated and the institutions were barely starting and had not experience.

I believe young democracies or countries whose populations have almost never lived under a true democracy are very prone to elect or accept the imposition of strong, military type of leaders. We just have to look at Latin America and Africa for many examples of this. Many times the situation in the country is so chaotic, that the people put all their faith on a strong leader in the hopes of establishing peace and order.

As a democracy progresses, their institutions gain experience and the people become more educated, and there is less chance of a dictator or monarch to take over it.

Answer 4

Most revolutions end up again in dictatorship, the one exception being the American. Think what happened in Russia - they got rid of one dictatorship, that of the Tsar (who was very much an absolute monarch like Louis XVI) and after a period of semi-democracy ended up with the dictatorships of Lenin and then Stalin.