Napoleon Bonaparte Quotes


New schools are being opened, and inspectors have been appointed to see that the instruction does not degenerate into vain and sterile examinations…there can be no doubt that French genius will produce works of distinction


Context

Essentially a State of the Nation presentation. After the French Revolution there was huge pressure to produce equal education for all classes. Examinations were the means by which the revolutionary government attempted to assure educational quality. But with the emphasis on examinations, other aspects of the French curriculum degenerated. One of Napoleon’s first reforms was to deemphasize testing and bring back the emphasis on creativity and other aspects of education. There are some who see a parallel between the testing after the French Revolution and that of the George W. Bush administration—“No Child Left Behind”—to be well-intentioned but detrimental to the overall quality of education for the nation.


Citations

Napoleon Bonaparte, 1769-1821, [Napoleon Bonaparte], Military leader and Emperor of France, Account of the Internal Situation of France Statement which he presented to the Legislative Body, December 31, 1804

Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations

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Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte
  • Born: August 15, 1769
  • Died: May 5, 1821
  • Nationality: French
  • Profession: Emperor; Military Leader & Emperor

Napoléon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader of Corsican descent. He rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led several successful campaigns during the Revolutionary Wars. As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 until 1814, and again in 1815. Napoleon dominated European and global affairs for more than a decade while leading France against a series of coalitions in the Napoleonic Wars. He won most of these wars and the vast majority of his battles, building a large empire that ruled over continental Europe before its final collapse in 1815. One of the greatest commanders in history, his wars and campaigns are studied at military schools worldwide. He remains one of the most celebrated and controversial political figures in human history.