Chapter 126: Napoleon III Comes to Power
Chapter 125: Napoleon III Comes to Power
France
After the bourgeois republican government suppressed the June Revolution, it began to play tricks again.
In order to draw in the interest groups, the bourgeois government chose to compromise with the monarchists and the clericalists. First, it abandoned the economic program of the bourgeois republicans, and then it restored the fiscal system of the July dynasty.
On July 3, the French government announced the abolition of the railroad state program; on July 11, it restored high taxes on newspapers and publishing houses; and on August 9, it began to restrict the freedom of the press and assembly ……
These were nothing, no cut and dried for the general public, and some of the policies helped consolidate power. The next thing the French government did was literally a death wish.
On August 30th, the French government began to implement the decree of 45 additional taxes on the birth of daughters;
On September 6, the French government announced that the eight-hour workday had been abolished and that working hours had been extended to 12 to 14 hours;
On September 7, the French government announced the abolition of the Labor Protection Act, the Minimum Wage Guarantee Act ……
The French government has again raised taxes and repealed bills that protect the interests of the working class, naturally provoking the discontent of the general French public.
The French people could not be bullied, and the workers and peasants whose interests were damaged naturally rebelled, and from the 9th, labor and peasant riots took place in 23 provinces.
With such a deadly government in place, the next presidential election, the French people naturally used their votes to make the bourgeois government assholes.
Louis Napoleon Bonaparte (Napoleon III) miraculously won 75% of the vote, bearing in mind that according to Article 44 of the French Constitution, anyone who had lost his French citizenship could not be elected President.
Louis Napoleon Bonaparte not only lost his citizenship and became a Swiss citizen, but also served as a special policeman for Britain. Yet such a man actually became president of France. ��
It is funny to say that the aristocrats, who were naturally opposed to a republican government, voted for Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, whom they thought could not be elected; and the bourgeoisie, whose interests had been damaged by the revolution, likewise gave their votes to Louis Bonaparte.
These obviously did not constitute an absolute majority, but after the upheaval, the French peasants, once again reminded of the good life of the Napoleonic era, supported Louis Napoleon Bonaparte.
Of course, the story behind this was not so simple, and Louis Napoleon Bonaparte was able to rise to power thanks to his own efforts.
He boasted that he was the successor of his uncle Napoleon I, a staunch defender of “national unity,” and he offered a seditious program of promises to all classes:
He promised Catholics “freedom of religion”;
To the workers he promised “the elimination of unemployment”, “amnesty for the arrested June insurrectionists”, “the enforcement of labor protection laws”, “the introduction of the eight-hour day”. The eight-hour workday was introduced.”
Promise the peasants “tax relief” and “protection of private ownership of smallholdings” in order to “eradicate poverty”;
Appeasing the bourgeoisie with “low-interest loans”, “tax cuts”, etc.
However, in secret, Bonaparte went around, developing his clique, colluding with the monarchists and the clergy, bribing Mollet and Thiers, employing his confidant Pelcini, and utilizing the King’s “Committee of the Rue de la Poitiers” in his own service.
He spared no expense, not only 300,000 francs for himself, but also 1,000,000 francs from an English bank manager, to create newspapers, pamphlets, music scores, etc., in order to build up public opinion for his own campaign and to win over his opponents. ��
As a result of obtaining British funding for his rise to power, the government of Louis Napoleon Bonaparte was forced to fall back on the London government for the rest of his governing career.
The rise to power of Louis Napoleon Bonaparte signaled the beginning of new infighting in the French government once again and the possibility of new twists and turns in Franco-Austrian relations.
Vienna.
“Your Majesty, I am afraid that the French President, Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, who immediately after his election to office tore up the Franco-Austrian secret pact on the grounds that the French government is peace-loving, has no good intentions towards the Empire.” Metternich frowned and said
It was hard to pull the French together with a Franco-Austrian secret pact, and it was just destroyed by Louis Napoleon Bonaparte.
Franz thought for a moment and said, “The Franco-Austrian secret pact is in the interest of the French, even if the best opportunity to divide the Kingdom of Sardinia is lost, having the Franco-Austrian alliance in place can help the French government open up a diplomatic logjam.
Louis Napoleon Bonaparte is not a fool, he is so impatient to tear up the treaty, I’m afraid that there are other factors behind it, check to see if it’s the British who are playing tricks.”
John Bull was just so unpopular that he was the first to be suspected.
“Yes, Your Majesty.” Metternich replied
The international environment that Austria faced during this period was still easy, even if the French tore up the treaty, it would be harmless to Austria.
Since Franz was in charge, the Austrian government had deepened the Russo-Austrian alliance and further developed the Anglo-Austrian relationship, and the re-alignment of Prussia and Austria was already in the negotiation stage.
The British had a motive for stepping in to destroy Franco-Austrian relations; the British Empire was not the Great Britain of thirty years ago.
Stronger, their political ambitions had naturally become greater. If Austria had once again established the Vienna system, they would still have to be excluded from European politics.
From the point of view of interest, the Vienna system stabilized the European continent for thirty years, and Austria was completely doing the British a favor.
Without European affairs to hold back their energies, the British were able to expand abroad and build a huge colonial empire.
“Your Majesty, if it was the British who moved, should we not retaliate?” Prime Minister Felix asked with concern
“Come what may, wait for another opportunity in the future.” Franz replied calmly
Austria in this era is not afraid of the British Empire, long excluded from the European continent, there are still the Russians and them to fight for supremacy, the British have not yet the prestige of the latter days.
According to the code of conduct of the Great Powers, this kind of thing happened is certainly to retaliate. Only Franz is not a willful person, retaliation against Britain and France in addition to can out of breath, simply can not get practical benefits.
How about remembering it first, leaving this excuse, and then tripping them up when it is profitable in the future.
……
Paris.
After tearing up the Franco-Austrian pact, Louis Napoleon Bonaparte began to regret it.
The Franco-Austrian pact was only the first step in a process that would have led to the capture of half of the Kingdom of Sardinia had it not been for the June Revolution.
Now he tore up the secret treaty which was favorable to the interests of France, and naturally aroused the dissatisfaction of many people, which was undoubtedly adding insult to injury to Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, who was in urgent need of consolidating his power.
The support of the British was indeed important, but no more important than the interests. If he could not satisfy these interests, he, the elected president, might still roll over.
Louis Napoleon Bonaparte’s power strategy was still very powerful. On the one hand, he made a promise to the interest groups to return to Italy, and on the other hand, he introduced some positive reform policies, such as: repealing the surtax decree during the republican government, and cutting the tax on newspapers and publishers ……
At the same time of internal reform, but also do not forget to improve diplomatic relations with the outside world, in addition to hold tight to the British thighs, but also sent the Marquis of Tromwell to visit the European countries, for the restoration of the preparations.
(End of chapter)