Broad Consequences of a Napoleonic World

[spoonzandforkz]

Starting with “broad” here, since butterflies are a bit of a bitch, what would be the broad consequences of a Napoleonic World, assuming France doesn’t invade Iberia or Russia, or some other POD?

I’m talking not just politics and what it means for the wider world - but also culture, art, architecture, philosophy...

 

[Wendell]

Depends on your actual POD.

 

[spoonzandforkz]

Depends on your actual POD.

Hmm, no Continental System?

 

[Amon34]

not easy for a "broad" napoleonic victory but let's try first the revolt of saint domingue napoleon launches operation louisinae sends 30,000 men and a squadron to defend new orleans, the battle of gibraltar is a draw napoleon divides austria in two does not invade spain and makes a proposal to russia to divide the ottoman empire in exchange for russia's neutrality in the continental alliance (otl continental blockade) england ends up signing a white peace for what?

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[King Nazar]

Giving up on the continental system would be the best PoD. Napoleon avoids getting bogged down in Iberia and doesn't invade Russia as a result. He'd still have to worry about Prussian or Austrian revanchism but I think they can be handled and perhaps turned against each other (give Silesia to Austria?). He could also try and turn Austria and Russia's attention towards the Ottomans to keep them busy and potentially threaten Britain's Mediterranean trade routes to India.

Economically, France would be in an excellent position to rapidly industrialize as it controls the low countries and has massive coal deposits in its territory. With the rise of steamships, France could really begin to threaten Britain's naval dominance. The economic and military competition from across the channel would probably undermine the Whiggish tendencies of 19th century British politics. Less support for free trade now that there is a major industrial competitor across the channel. Continued impressment of civilians into naval or army service and a culture of militarism.

 

[danteheadman]

Napoleon specifically and directly embarked on a policy of liberating Jews wherever he conquered (Wikipedia; Jewish Virtual Library). I'm sure that a Napoleonic revolutionary state that persists would be a prime immigration goal for Jews across Europe, including from Russian-occupied Poland and the Pale of Settlement.

 

[Belisarius II]

This all depends on what you mean by a Napoleonic World? If you mean a Europe under total French domination, for an indefinite period of time, then it would be a era of intense, periodic coalition wars against France. Even a dismembered Austria would be the strongest German State, and would continue to oppose French hegemony. Rising German Nationalism would become progressively more anti French, spawning new conspiracies, intrigues, and revolts. Britain would continue it maritime, and economic warfare, and finance new coalitions. Russia would continue to spar with France over the fringes of Europe, and interfere with French efforts to consolidate it's control of Germany, and Italy, sometimes working with, and sometimes against the British.

If you mean an Imperial France far larger, and more powerful then the OTL France before, or after the Revolutionary, and Napoleonic wars that has better possibilities. If say the Peace of Amiens becomes a semi permeant arrangement France could could be much more powerful then in the OTL. Belgium, and the Rhineland could be part of France. A buffer zone of minor German States could be led by France, with an Austrian Alliance that would prevent the unification of Germany has we know it, under Prussia. Most of mainland Italy could be dominated by France, preventing the OTL unification of Italy.

Instead of a 20th Century shaped by the rise of Germany, and it's attempts to impose it's hegemony over Europe, it could be a century of continued imperial conflicts between the UK & France. If France attempted to claim Louisiana it would find itself in long term conflicts with the United States. This would force the USA into joining in coalition wars against France, pushing the Anglo/Saxon Powers into each others arms. The Great Powers in 2021 could Be the UK & Commonwealth, USA, France, the Constitutional Russian Empire, Nationalist China, India, and Japan.

Without the rise of Germany, and Italy as unified nation States the world would move in different, and unpredictable directions. Without the chaos of WWI the collectivist monster States of the 20th Century might never come into being, and their destructive ideologies might die stillborn. The world would be no paradise, but it might have been spared some of the massive tragedies of the last 100 years.

 

[Aghasverov]

Hoping for some more good input on this one since, in the grand TL that I'm cobbling together out of odds 'n' ends drawn from the great dust-bin of history that's in my head , I'm thinking of a lengthy "Pax Francorum" under Nap's ummm... less impetuous successors...
As far as particular consequences, I'm wondering what sort of course would shake out for European colonization in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. Obviously some entities like the Congo Free State won't exist... In OTL, the re-expansion of France's colonial empire proceeded slowly until Nap III, accelerated somewhat under him, and then grew rapidly under the Third Repubic. I'm thinking the "colonial trajectory" for all powers will be quite different, just haven't figured out yet in which direction... (butterflies the size of Mothra, y'know... )

 

[Glory2Cabinda]

Hoping for some more good input on this one since, in the grand TL that I'm cobbling together out of odds 'n' ends drawn from the great dust-bin of history that's in my head , I'm thinking of a lengthy "Pax Francorum" under Nap's ummm... less impetuous successors...
As far as particular consequences, I'm wondering what sort of course would shake out for European colonization in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. Obviously some entities like the Congo Free State won't exist... In OTL, the re-expansion of France's colonial empire proceeded slowly until Nap III, accelerated somewhat under him, and then grew rapidly under the Third Repubic. I'm thinking the "colonial trajectory" for all powers will be quite different, just haven't figured out yet in which direction... (butterflies the size of Mothra, y'know... )

I think it would be more interesting to avoid New Imperialism. And France would be more interested in holding than anything else

 

[Aghasverov]

I think it would be more interesting to avoid New Imperialism. And France would be more interested in holding than anything else

That is one option I've considered, that the focus may remain on trade and commercial activities (would incur less expenses for the "metropoles", and would certainly be better, at least in the short term, for the locals...) Still, the lure of watching one's colours spread to all ends of the globe would be a strong one, especially in a rapidly-industrializing and resource-hungry era...

 

[Glory2Cabinda]

That is one option I've considered, that the focus may remain on trade and commercial activities (would incur less expenses for the "metropoles", and would certainly be better, at least in the short term, for the locals...) Still, the lure of watching one's colours spread to all ends of the globe would be a strong one, especially in a rapidly-industrializing and resource-hungry era...

France would have a lot of enemies and rebellious areas in Europe it focus would be on the continent. Not to mention the British have naval dominance in most of the sea and would hamper any French attempt. I could see the Brits arming some nations in North and West Africa to prevent a French take over

 

[Admiral Spaun]

France would have a lot of enemies and rebellious areas in Europe it focus would be on the continent.

The French were overextended by 1810 and only were able to hold on to their empire because of Napoleon's military successes. Making enemies of every major nation in Europe is not a good strategy long term.

 

[Glory2Cabinda]

The French were overextended by 1810 and only were able to hold on to their empire because of Napoleon's military successes. Making enemies of every major nation in Europe is not a good strategy long term.

Here how I see any attempt of taking land in Asia or Africa going for them. The British would just give they local states a bunch of guns and advisors to hold of the French. While Revanchist nations and Reactionary groups would start shit in Europe. Simply the policy of the French state would be have to be centered around keeping there Europeans holding for obvious reasons.

 

[Wendell]

Hmm, no Continental System?

Depending on the scenario, it's hard to achieve without the Continental System. You probably need a POD no later than Trafalgar or, at the latest, Tilsit.