Good morning, class! Get out your pencils. It’s time for a pop quiz. I’m going to describe a world leader, and I want you to identify him.
The less-gifted scion of a distinguished political family, his ascension to power came as a surprise to most. Even his own family had designated a different “heir apparent,” but circumstances permitted him to rise. In the course of an unorthodox election, he campaigned on a platform of concern for those less fortunate; once in power, he quickly set aside his stated objectives in favor of what some described as “an imperial presidency” that ultimately amounted to a coup d’état. Seizing on threats to national security as an excuse, he clamped down on civil rights, squelched dissent, and embarked on a domestic policy marked by cronyism and a foreign policy marked by ill-advised military adventures.
Under his administration, real-estate speculation was rampant, permitting a few investors to accumulate great wealth, although the stated goal of housing policy was to improve the quality of life for the poor and for small-homeowners. During most of his time in office, the legislature served mainly to rubber-stamp his agenda. News outlets that cooperated with him were rewarded; those that did not were punished. Though he frequently boasted his Christian faith, his actions put him in conflict with the Vatican, and many people esteemed his personal behavior and public policies as immoral; though his wife was considered a model of piety, she limited herself to a few charitable works, and few believed she exerted any real influence on her husband. Artists and intellectuals reviled him, but they found themselves powerless to oppose him.
He was brought down by a series of military exploits abroad. Several of these were blatantly designed to provide economic opportunities for his cronies. Repeatedly, on multiple fronts, he attempted to impose his values on other cultures at the point of a gun. Though he claimed that his wars would demonstrate his country’s preeminence as a superpower, they left the country more vulnerable — for generations to come.
Got all that? Good. Write down your answer, then scroll down to find his name and picture.
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Why, it’s Napoleon III, of course! Who on earth did you think I was talking about?
The less-gifted scion of a distinguished political family, his ascension to power came as a surprise to most. Even his own family had designated a different “heir apparent,” but circumstances permitted him to rise. In the course of an unorthodox election, he campaigned on a platform of concern for those less fortunate; once in power, he quickly set aside his stated objectives in favor of what some described as “an imperial presidency” that ultimately amounted to a coup d’état. Seizing on threats to national security as an excuse, he clamped down on civil rights, squelched dissent, and embarked on a domestic policy marked by cronyism and a foreign policy marked by ill-advised military adventures.
Under his administration, real-estate speculation was rampant, permitting a few investors to accumulate great wealth, although the stated goal of housing policy was to improve the quality of life for the poor and for small-homeowners. During most of his time in office, the legislature served mainly to rubber-stamp his agenda. News outlets that cooperated with him were rewarded; those that did not were punished. Though he frequently boasted his Christian faith, his actions put him in conflict with the Vatican, and many people esteemed his personal behavior and public policies as immoral; though his wife was considered a model of piety, she limited herself to a few charitable works, and few believed she exerted any real influence on her husband. Artists and intellectuals reviled him, but they found themselves powerless to oppose him.
He was brought down by a series of military exploits abroad. Several of these were blatantly designed to provide economic opportunities for his cronies. Repeatedly, on multiple fronts, he attempted to impose his values on other cultures at the point of a gun. Though he claimed that his wars would demonstrate his country’s preeminence as a superpower, they left the country more vulnerable — for generations to come.
Got all that? Good. Write down your answer, then scroll down to find his name and picture.
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*
*
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Why, it’s Napoleon III, of course! Who on earth did you think I was talking about?
