The second French empire and its intervention
In 1851, Carlos Luis Napoleón Bonaparte gave a coup d’etat, the following year he was proclaimed emperor and that is how the second French empire was born. It was a historical period that occurred between 1852 and 1870 under the command of Napoleon Lll. This empire was mainly supported by the army, the bourgeoisie and the Church since each one would obtain a benefit. Napoleon Lll sought to establish a colonial empire. Through different alliances France sought to strengthen its political, religious and economic influence in different countries and continents. From the beginning the second French empire was characterized by being a dictatorial regime that limited freedom of expression, but over time and forced it had to yield and its form of government became close to the parliamentary regime. Napoleon Lll is a faithful supporter of modern capitalism and commercial exchange. Napoleon promoted imperialism in France since in addition to looking for raw materials and markets, he wanted to imitate the United Kingdom. Africa, Asia and Indochina were colonized by France. Thanks to this period France was modernized in all aspects.
The second French intervention was an armed conflict between Mexico and France between 1862 and 1867. The reform war left Mexico in a very devastating situation and with very little money, the treasury lacked resources because they had to solve the expenditure of the army, to this the lack of a landowner system and the payment of the external debt was added, the sale of church goods and the reduction of bureaucrats’ salaries. Given the need for financial resources, ruler Benito Juárez decreed the suspension of foreign debt payments for two years. Some of the countries that were owed were: England, France and Spain that later claim the payment of this, no matter if it was necessary to use force. The European powers came into conflict with Mexico, each of them was looking for their own benefit. England charged 70 million pesos and sought the possibility of extending its colonialism, Spain charged 27 million pesos and wanted.
Imperialism is the way in which it leads to the domain of one State over another using military, economic or political force. The countries that practiced it sought the systematic conquest of as many territories as possible with the aim of becoming a world power. They did not seek cultural transformation but their political, economic and military control. Economic interests are the most common in imperialism, in terms of political desire for power, prestige, security and diplomatic advantages over other states. There are controversies where many believe that imperialism is exploitation and is the cause of underdevelopment and economic stagnation of poor countries, while others say that despite the advantages provided by both rich and poor countries, they obtained a benefit. Imperialism has destroyed traditional institutions and ways of thinking and has replaced them with the customs and mentality of the western world.
The preliminary treaties of solitude were agreements between the Mexican government and the tripartite alliance, were signed on February 19, 1862 in Veracruz. Mexico’s Foreign Minister Manuel Vicente Boldo is the one who makes negotiations with the three countries. In the treaties, Manuel offered to allow the progress of the alliance’s troops to the signing of the agreements, but achieved something better, the treaties exempt Mexico from accepting the help of the countries that made up the alliance, the countries promised to stayIn Orizaba and Xalapa, and committed to respect Mexican sovereignty. These treaties got English and Spanish troops to retire back to their countries. The reaction of the French was not favorable, they did not sign the agreements and decided to continue with the progress of their troops.
CONCLUSION
Is the second French intervention the result of the imperialist policy of the French empire?
Yes, since when Napoleon arrived and imposed imperialism, his only objective was to expand his territories, apart from the fact that he would obtain resources, what he was looking for was power, since it was very ambitious. When Benito Juárez decreed that the external debt would stop paying, Napoleon took it as a pretext to reach Mexico, he used Spain and France to form the tripartite alliance and thus invade Mexico, but after Spain and England they learned thatFrance the only thing he was looking for was to expand his domains by establishing a protectorate, whose administration would serve to expand the markets, hold the colonies in the Antilles and southern America, in this way it would guarantee the supply of raw materials in France, they decided to end the alliance, sign loneliness treaties and return to their countries. While France ignored the treaties and advanced his troops to Puebla, in order to conquer Mexico City.
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