Napoleon Bonaparte

Among the reforms to improve the functioning of the state were some very innovative ventures.

An excerpt from the article 32 facts about Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon introduced in France, for the first time in the world, compulsory free education in public schools for both sexes of all states. To curb the corruption that was omnipresent in the country, he adopted the principle of appointing judges and stepped up the fight against robbery, forgery, etc. He established the institution of prefects in the departments and mayors in the municipalities (which has persisted to this day). Many scholars consider Napoleon's greatest success to be the publication of the Civil Code of 1804, which established the basics of the system: personal liberty, equality of all citizens before the law, secularization, and inviolability of private property. The name Civil Code of the French remained in force until 1807 when it was changed to the Napoleonic Code, with which the emperor wanted to emphasize his connection with the codification. Eventually, after many changes, it reverted to its original name. The articles of the Napoleon Code in the area of personal law largely repeated the Civil Code of the Kingdom of Poland, in force since 1826.