CBSE · Class 10 · Social Science · History: The Rise of Nationalism in EuropeWhat changes were introduced by Napoleon in the administrative system of the territories he conquered?

Napoleon set about introducing many of the reforms that he had already introduced in France. Through the Civil Code of 1804, usually known as the Napoleonic Code, he did away with all privileges based on birth, established equality before the law, and secured the right to property. Napoleon simplified administrative divisions, abolished the feudal system, and freed peasants from serfdom and manorial dues. In the towns, guild restrictions were removed. Transport and communication systems were improved. Peasants, artisans, businessmen, and small-scale producers began to realize that uniform laws, standardized weights and measures, and a common national currency would facilitate the movement and exchange of goods and capital from one region to another. However, in the areas conquered, the reactions to the French rule were mixed. Initially, in many places such as Holland and Switzerland, as well as in certain cities like Brussels, Milan, Warsaw, and Mainz, the French armies were welcomed as harbingers of liberty. But the initial enthusiasm soon turned to hostility as it became clear that the new administrative arrangements went hand in hand with increased taxation, censorship, and forced conscription into the French armies required to conquer the rest of Europe, all of which outweighed the advantages of the administrative reforms.