How did Napoleon use the term ideology as criticism in 1812?

In December 1812, Napoleon Bonaparte used the term idéologie as a pejorative to criticize the influence of the idéologues—a group of philosophers who had originally sought to create a "science of ideas" to foster a rational society.1

Napoleon, who had initially supported these thinkers, grew to view their abstract, intellectual approach to politics with deep suspicion and scorn. By 1812, he explicitly attributed France’s military defeats to their influence, characterizing their ideas as impractical, detached from reality, and dangerous to the state.12

By linking the term to what he considered the most detestable elements of Revolutionary thought, Napoleon transformed idéologie from a neutral, technical term into a label for abstract, rationalistic doctrines that he believed lacked the practical wisdom gained through experience. This shift established the word's enduring role as a term of both laudatory and abusive character in political discourse.13