Constitution of the Year VIII
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The Constitution of the Year VIII, was a national constitution of France adopted December 24, 1799 (during the Year VIII of the French Revolutionary Calendar) established a form of government known as the Consulate. The coup of 18 Brumaire (November 9, 1799) had already effectively ended the French Revolution. The constitution effectively tailor-made the role of First Consul to allow Napoleon Bonaparte much of the powers of a dictator.
It was succeeded by the Constitution of the Year X, which made Napoleon First Consul for Life.
Malcolm Crook refers to it as the "short and obscure Constitution of the Year VIII" [1] (http://www3.uakron.edu/hfrance/reviews/napoleoncrook1.html) It was the first constitution since the Revolution without a Declaration of Rights.
References
- The text of the constitution (http://wikisource.org/wiki/Constitution_du_13_d%C3%A9cembre_1799) (in French)