"Best Invention or Innovation Under Napoleon Is..." Topic

You were asked – TMP link

During his time in history, there are things attributed to Napoleon or his policies. What had the largest impact?

In the final round of voting:

46% said "Code Napoleon"
14% said "canning"
11% [TIE] said "army organization" OR "Louisiana Purchase"

Surely the Louisiana Purchase has had the most impact on world history, since without it, the United States would be a very different entity and 19th and 20th century history would have taken a very different course.

Whether or not that equates to "Best", let alone "Invention or Innovation" is another matter.

Cheers,
John

The Rosetta Stone and the Louisiana Purchase are neither an invention nor an innovation.

Kinda says it all that one of the top three candidates is something Napoleon did that benefited someone else rather than France.

Incidentally, I have always wondered whether the USA was ripped off when it bought Louisiana. By 1811 Britain had captured every overseas possession of France and France's allies (according to Roger Knight in 'Britain Against Napoleon'). Why wouldn't Britain have captured Louisiana too, had it still been French? Was Napoleon selling something he was sure to lose anyway?

The Louisiana Purchase led directly to the Indian Removal Act and the Trail of Tears, so not beneficial all around.

What is interesting is that he only bought it from Spain in 1801 and flipped it for a profit 2 years later. I wonder why Spain didn't just flog it to the USA?

According to the Andrew Roberts book, Napoleon felt he was bound to lose the territory to the British and he was also souring on the general idea of trying to control distant colonies. He is also quoted as saying "I have just given to England a maritime rival that sooner or later will humble her pride."

When George Washington had died several years before, there was 10 days (?) of mourning declared by then First Consul Bonaparte. Selling Louisiana to the Americans would seem to have been preferable to many other options at the time. In any case, it was a pretty big kick of the course of history in a new direction.