The Age of Napoleon Podcast Episode Nine: The Iron Soil of Corsica
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Aug 30, 2017 Explore Napoleon's roots and how his Corsican origins shaped his identity. Learn about the geography and society of Corsica, including its rugged landscape and unique democratic system. Discover the tradition of vendettas in 18th-century Corsican society and the period of rebellion in Corsica. Understand the impact of James Boswell's book on the Corsican rebellion and the widespread interest it generated. Briefly mention Napoleon's birth and other podcast recommendations.
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Landscape Shaped Society
- Corsica in the 18th century was poor, mountainous, and lacked resources, shaping a pastoral, clan-based society.
- These material limits made Corsican life egalitarian in practice and resistant to traditional nobility and church power.
Clan Honor Over State Law
- Corsican society relied on a clan system and honor culture where local patriarchs settled disputes, not state officials.
- Vendettas and private justice were socially accepted responses to insults or land disputes.
A Tiny Republic Ahead Of Its Time
- During the rebellion Corsica built an unusually modern republican system with universal suffrage and a written constitution.
- Enlightenment figures hailed Corsica as a progressive model despite its poverty and wartime context.