France in 1852: From President to Emperor

         Following the Revolution of 1848, Louis Napoleon recognized this unstable transition period as his opportunity to rise to power.  He returned to France after living in England for some time, took part in the elections and was elected to 5 departments through the National Assembly.  When the presidential elections came around, he promptly announced his presidency and on 20 December 1848, it was announced that he had won 74.2% of the votes.  With that, he became the first President of the French Second Republic. By 1851 he saw his term as president coming to an end and at the time, the constitution only allowed for a single 4-year term.  Not yet ready to let his position go, he petitioned for a constitutional reform but Parliament was not on his side.  In July 1851 Parliament voted against his proposition, also discarding universal suffrage in an effort to break his popular support. He attempted twice more, once in October and once in November, but Parliament stood by its previous decision. Believing that he still had the support of the people, he sought to retain his power by other means: a coup d’état, which was portrayed as a security operation in response to the instability that had been occurring in the previous months.  On 2 December 1851, Louis Napoleon dissolved the National Assembly without constitutional right, deeming himself the sole ruler of France.  Louis Napoleon declared that a new constitution was being framed and said he intended to restore the empire of his uncle, Napoleon I.  The revised constitution extended his presidency to unlimited 10 year terms with the authority to do what he pleased.  This revised constitution granted him all governing power but apparently it was not enough for Louis Napoleon.  On 7 November 1852, Louis Napoleon was given permission to re-establish the Empire with a 97% (rigged) vote from the Senate and on 2 December 1852, he became Napoleon III, Emperor of the French under the French Second Empire (also the 48th anniversary of Napoleon I’s coronation).  On 25 December 1852, the revised constitution was modified yet again and was named the Imperial Constitution.

There were quite a few revolts in reaction to Napoleon III’s actions but they were quickly suppressed in the matter of a couple days.  There were many who were arrested, exiled and/or killed. While there were many who resented Napoleon III, his rule was not completely disastrous.  Under the Second French Empire, the French people remained sovereign, distinguishing it from previous rule. His dictatorship also allowed for the success of the nation.  Napoleon III maintained a stable economy, introduced a new banking system, improved the railway system, increased workers’ wages and gave them the right to organize and strike, expanded education, diminished poverty and renovated Paris through the Haussmanization project.  His empire, however, would come to an end in 1870 with his defeat at the Battle of Sedan during the Franco-Prussian War.