Napoleon Bonaparte on Revolutions

Introduction. Everyone knows Napoleon the king, and Napoleon the brilliant military general, but he was also a gifted writer and speaker. In this Memo, discover 9 pithy aphorisms by Napoleon on subjects ranging from revolutions to one's reputation 👇

On Revolution: "A revolution is an opinion which discovers bayonets." With brevity, Napoleon combines the two poles of revolution: the ideas that set it off, and the material might that carries it to fruition.

On reputation: "A great reputation is a great noise; the more you make, the more it spreads: laws, nations, monuments - everything crumbles, but the reputation remains." Napoleon was a man obsessed with leaving his mark on history - in this task, his success can't be overstated.

On the Bible: "Aristocracy is in the Old Testament, Democracy in the New Testament." In the Old Testament, Napoleon finds a metaphysical ethic in favor of hierarchy; in the New Testament, ideas favoring equality. Napoleon: Jesus Christ is the greatest republican.

On genius: "Misfortune is the midwife of genius." The education system wants to churn out smart and more capable humans - but perhaps no amount of training can pull out a person's best as well as a brush with tragedy.

Napoleon: "You only believe that which it pleases you to believe." Here, Napoleon gives us an early formulation of the confirmation bias - only experimentally validated in the 1960s. People interpret new information so that it fits their pre-existing worldviews.

Napoleon lived and fought through the French Revolution. He wrote: "The nobility would have survived if it had known how to master the writing desk." Public opinion ended nobility as much as violent force. It failed to convince the public that it served a valuable role.

On Democracy and Despotism: "Democratic governments border on anarchy, monarchy on despotism. Anarchy is powerless; despotism can do great things." Napoleon believed more in the madness of crowds, as supposed to their wisdom: "The people must be saved against their will."

Yet, mere despotic force isn't enough: "You can only lead a people by showing them a future; a leader trades in hope." Napoleon was well aware that "nothing has been founded merely by the sword." He understood that a leader must know how to inspire hope, not just fear.

On Courage: "Courage can't be counterfeited - it's a virtue which escapes hypocrisy." Courage with logical thought is unbeatable: "The burst of courage which, despite the suddenness of events, still leaves you capable of thought, of judgement and decision, is excessively rare."