But that was still not Napoleon’s main accomplishment. His main accomplishment was to introduce secularism, liberalism and progressivism to Europe. Before that, education was controlled by the church and education was religion-based. Napoleon took away the authority of education from the church and he set up public schools. Within 30 years Europe had been oriented away from theology and towards secularism.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
Most people look at Napoleon Bonaparte mainly from his military achievements. Students of Napoleon, however, will know he is more than just a military genius. He was also a social engineer. He did a massive social re-engineering not only of France but of the entire Europe. He demolished the Hapsburg and Holy Roman Empires and planted the seeds of nationalism into the hearts and minds of the Europeans.
From the ashes of the empires rose republics. France was in the aftermath of the French Revolution and Napoleon wanted to export the spirit of the revolution to the rest of Europe. Napoleon’s mission finally ended 100 years later with the collapse of the Russian monarchy. During those 100 years many new countries were born all over Europe that transformed from absolute monarchies to republics (or constitutional monarchies) with the rule of the people, for the people, by the people.
But that was still not Napoleon’s main accomplishment. His main accomplishment was to introduce secularism, liberalism and progressivism to Europe. Before that, education was controlled by the church and education was religion-based. Napoleon took away the authority of education from the church and he set up public schools. Within 30 years Europe had been oriented away from theology and towards secularism.
There are Malaysians who talk about secularism, liberalism and progressivism. But they do not tell you what that means. What that means is the unelected monarchy has to go. You cannot force religion onto anyone and every person is free to not believe in God and to not have any religion. You cannot refuse to sell pork and liquor on the excuse that those products are not halal. You need not have a church or religious wedding to live together and married partners need not be of opposite sexes. And insulting Abraham, Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha, Brahma, Shiva, Krishna, Vishnu, Ganesha, etc., is not a crime.
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