Le Dix-huit Brumaire

The work reconstructs the political and social conditions that produced a late-revolutionary coup, tracing how governmental paralysis, military influence, and rival factions converged to prompt a seizure of power. It surveys parliamentary maneuvers, the ambitions and strategies of leading politicians, and the collaboration between civilian leaders and generals, arguing that force was sought to preserve revolutionary gains rather than simply to restore the old order. The narrative combines chronological exposition with analysis of motives, public discontent, and institutional weakness, concluding by showing how a decisive intervention reshaped governance and public life.