The same Napoleon who crowned himself Emperor? France flirted with being a Republic, but it took them over 100 years to actually get there.
Yes, ultimately he became a tyrant.
But pleas don’t forget that he was made great by the French Revolution (starting out as a Revolutionary Army General), and numerous achievements of this Revolution were maintained during his rule, and in due time emulated in other European countries.
Furthermore, and I should have explained this better, many of the borders he drew persisted for generations.
But you are right: American influence was prominent, too. The short-lived Polish constitution of 1791 was modelled on the American one, as was the Swiss of 1848, which is still in use today🙂
Yes, the second Revolution of 1848 in many European countries is sometimes overlooked, but it brought its number of advances, too. Maybe more than the French Revolution itself - but that was still the mother of 1848 🙂
Actually France has tried FIVE times to be a republic :0
1st republic - until Nappy
2nd republic - from 1830 to Nappy III
3rd republic - from 1870 to Vichy
4th republic - from 1945 to De Gaulle
5th republic - i think from the 60s :)
If you don’t get it right, try and try again (and I think the current 5th republic is also highly flawed)