Napoleon is regarded as a great conqueror and genius of his time. While a prisoner at St. Helena, he also created his own image as a ‘Child of Revolution’ and as an ‘Heir to Revolution’, and on the other hand making himself acceptable to conservatives he once said that he became “the mediator in this struggle of the past against the Revolution”.
His nephew Napoleon III, in order to grasp and legitimize his power, further promoted his image of greatness. However, contrary to his image of greatness, Napoleon was an opportunist and the man who established the worst form of dictatorship by using all Draconian methods to crush opposition and misused state institutions for the promotion of his selfish interests and fulfillment of his grandiose ambitions. The form of dictatorship that was shaped by him later on became a model not only for Hitler and Mussolini but also for the emerging dictators of the Third world countries.
Napoleon emerged from anonymity as an army officer when he dispersed a mass demonstration against the government in 1795. The impression he got from this experience was that a mob could be easily handled by using force. This contempt for the messes continued throughout his life. He considered human being as criminals to be controlled by authoritarian methods. He came to power by a coup in 1799 and assumed the post of First Consul. Soon, he became Consul for life and then bestowed upon himself the title of Emperor. In 1807, the title of le Grand was also added to his august person.
 As a dictator, he fully realized the importance of publicity and propaganda. Therefore, first and foremost action that was taken by him was to bring the press under state control. The newspapers were censored and published only that news which suited to his person and to his policies. There was such a control on the press that only news of his victories was published. People of France remained in complete darkness when the French navy was defeated in the Battle of Trafalgar.
The stringent measures to curb the freedom of press reduced the number of newspapers. In 1810, there were only four. They were just mouthpiece of government and published selected news. Not only newspapers but also magazine which were also not spared. There were nearly 100 magazines which were published from the different provinces of France. He banned them all and instructed the government to publish its own magazine. Thus, leaving no opportunity to people to know any other thing except government sponsored information. Publishers were also victimized by the policy of censorship. Consequently, their number was reduced to 60. To survive in its business, every publisher had to take an oath not to publish any book against the government or Napoleon. These measures, subsequently, led to the intellectual bankruptcy of the French society.
 He was also fully aware of the importance of education. That is why he changed the whole curriculum and devised it in such a way as to inculcate the loyalty to the emperor. He was not interested in educating the poor and women. Therefore, the educational institutions that were established served only the elite of the society.
 To check the activities of his opponents, he gave extensive powers to the intelligence agencies. They had the authority to enter people’s houses and search. People could be arrested on mere suspicion without warrant and put in prison without trial. As a result of this policy, in 1814 there were 2500 political prisoners languishing in jails.
 Napoleon, very cleverly, not only promoted his image by the controlled press but by the paintings of David and Gericault which displayed him on horseback in a posture of conqueror. To show his outward respect to democratic institutions, he successfully used the method of plebiscite to win the popular support. For example, in 1814, for the establishment of his Empire he got 3.57 million favourable votes while only 2,569 voted against it.
 After assuming the title of Emperor, he revived the model of the absolute king and upheld the concept of ‘Divine Right’. The French church declared “God has established him as our sovereign and has made him the minister of His power and His image on earth.” To have a support base he created his own hereditary nobility which was loyal to him. He refrained from using the slogans of the Revolutions and also regarded the Declaration of Rights as an obstacle to his authority. He was convinced that poor and uneducated people could be easily mobilized by emotional slogans and in the name of patriotism. He used these tactics successfully throughout his career.
 Napoleon also understood the importance of religion and therefore used it to achieve his political motives. He argued that: “Societies cannot exist without inequality of fortunes, and inequality of fortunes cannot exist without religion. When a man is dying of hunger alongside another who stuffs him, it is impossible to make him accede to the difference unless there is an authority, which says to him ‘God wishes it thus’.”
 Believing that religion fulfilled a social function, he brought it under the control of state and used it to empower state institutions and to uphold the hierarchical structure of society.
 The whole image of his braver is also based on concocted facts. In reality, he betrayed his army whenever it was in crisis and needed his support. For example, in 1799, when he faced defeat in Egypt, he left his army and escaped to France. It happened in 1812 in Russia where his grand army perished and he shamelessly left it in chaos and came back. In fact, the Empire, which he created, was based on usurpation and plunder. When he conquered a country, he looted its antiquities and brought to France as in case of Egypt and Italy. He also elevated his family members and close friends to the status of rulers, regardless of the consent of conquered nations.
Even after his death, his nephew who brought his body from St. Helena to Paris and buried it with state honour used his name. Though he brought disaster to France, sacrificed thousand of soldiers to fulfill his dream of creating a great Empire, yet he is regarded as great and a hero not only to the French but many others who are charmed by his image, not knowing of his crimes and dictatorial methods. Again, it is ironic that he still inspires dictators who adopt his model and bring disaster not only to their country but also their own person.