Remember, all megalomaniacs like to create an image of themselves as the GREAT savior, the great leader. PROPAGANDA will be something that will serve this cause throughout history y w napoleon it's no different. With him...."Every Frenchman could say during my reign,---I shall minister(of state), a military officer, duke, count, baron, IF I EARN IT---Even KING!" While he definitely ignored many of the goals of the French he no doubt preserved some of it's greatest achievements. The Rule of REASON w his Napoleonic code which stated equality of all people before the law, personal freedom, and the right to be one's property. His "career" open to all talents no doubt was something that the middle class supported. It would be them who would benefit greatly from this; they did not have the noble blood which in ancien regime would have guaranteed them, regardless of skill, a place at the table of govt and power." (remember, the middle class and military supported his return in the 100days.) The myth of Napoleon, this Romantic hero is probably one of the greatest legacies he has. Remember, he sounds like a cool enlightened guy..a champion for the people against the privilege of conservativism but in actuality, he was a war monger, a man who destroyed his political enemies, etc. Will the hero return to France again? Even from St Helena? Of cousre not! But a fans of Napoleon could hope and dream

 

His changes to the landscape of europe will be immense. He destroys the HRE which become the Confederation of the Rhine and then after the Congress of Vienna secures conservative principles throughout Europe, they'll change it to the GERMAN Confederation. AUSTRIA will be the most significant (remember, they'd been the big guy int he HRE but PRUSSIA will become a rival. PRussia=lutheran, and Austria is SUPER catholic)  The birth of nationalism throughout europe in both in "italy" and "germany" will help guide these peoples to seek a true nation. Other "nationalities" in old empires will follow suit. 

 

Guys...Napoelon is HUGE. Super huge. However, regardless of the political landscape that followed, the economic and from THERE The social changes brought about by the Industrial Revolution will be even more transformative. (It started in england. remember...#englandisdifferent )!

 

====I'd like to get back to the theme of music and the rights of the WRITER to profit from it and perform it to whomever is willing to pay. Mozart was really the first guy to focus on this. He was a performer, someone who at first was stuck w a patron. Soon, he'll seek to make it on his own, selling his work to the public. He'll never earn the dough that later musicians will. Guys like Beethoven, who really were a bridge between Classical Music and Romantic music, will be the big beneficiaries of Mozart's desire to see the artist as free to sell his music in the free market. He'll be loaded with money. He's a great artist! He deserves the rewards of his talent; acclaim or financial!