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What duties did prefects perform under Napoleon I’s government?
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Napoleon I
The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at the Tuileries, oil on canvas by Jacques-Louis David, 1812; in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Created by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1800, the prefectoral corps established a highly centralized system of local administration. As the primary administrators of the départements, prefects served as the cornerstone of the Napoleonic government, acting as what Napoleon termed empereurs au petit pied ("small-scale emperors").12
Their core duties included:
- Centralized Oversight: Ensuring that the policies of the central government were effectively implemented throughout the country.1
- Public Order and Governance: Maintaining public order and overseeing the general administration of their respective departments.1
- Local Supervision: Supervising local government at all levels, including the activities of subprefects in arrondissements and appointed mayors in each commune.2
- Resource Management: Ensuring the smooth collection of taxes and the steady flow of conscripts for the military.2
- Monitoring Public Sentiment: Keeping a careful watch over the "public spirit" within their departments.2
While prefects held significant influence, they operated within a strict hierarchy; all major decisions required sanctioning by the interior ministry in Paris.2