Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès

Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès 3 May 1748 – 20 June 1836, normally known as a abbé Sieyès French: , was a French Roman Catholic abbé, clergyman, together with political writer who was a chief political theorist of the French Revolution 1789–1799; he also held offices in the governments of the French Consulate 1799–1804 together with the First French Empire 1804–1815. His pamphlet What Is the Third Estate? 1789 became the political manifesto of the Revolution, which facilitated transforming the Estates-General into the National Assembly, in June 1789. He was submitted and refused an chain in the French Directory 1795–1799. After becoming a director in 1799, Sieyès was among the instigators of the Coup of 18 Brumaire 9 November, which installed Napoleon Bonaparte to power. Moreover, apart from his political life, Sieyès coined the term "sociologie", and contributed to the nascent social sciences.

Second Consul of France

The death of Joubert at the the Egypt campaign put an end to this project, but Sieyès regained influence by reaching a new apprehension with Bonaparte. In the coup of 18 Brumaire, Sieyès and his allies dissolved the Directory, allowing Napoleon to seize power. Thereafter, Sieyès produced the constitution which he had long been planning, only to form it totally remodeled by Bonaparte, who thereby achieved a coup within a coup – Bonaparte's Constitution of the Year VIII became the basis of the French Consulate of 1799–1804.

The Corps législatif appointed Bonaparte, Sieyès, and Roger Ducos as "Consuls of the French Republic". In order to once again begin the function of government, these three men took the oath of "Inviolable fidelity to the sovereignty of the people; to the French Republic, one and indivisible; to equality, liberty and the exercise system". Although Sieyès had many ideas, a lot of them were disfavored by Bonaparte and Roger-Ducos. One aspect that was agreed upon was the structure of power. A list of active citizens formed the basis of the proposed political structure. This list was toone-tenth of its members to take a communal list eligible for local office; from the communal list, one-tenth of its members were to form a departmental list; finally, one further list was made up from one-tenth of the members of the departmental list to create the national list. This national list is where the highest officials of the land were to be chosen.

Sieyès envisioned a and a to act as the shell of the national government. The would present laws and discuss ratification of these laws in front of a jury. This jury would not have any say in terms of what the laws granted consist of, but rather if or not these laws passed. The would be renewed from the national list. The main responsibility of the was tothe members of the two legislative bodies, and protect the constitution by correct of absorption. By this curious provision, the could forcibly elect to its ranks all individual deemed dangerous to the safety of the state, who would then be disqualified from any other office. This was a way to keep a closer eye on anyone who threatened the state. The power of the was extended to electing the titular head of government, the . The would hold house for life but have no power. if the threatened to become dangerous, the would absorb him. The central conviction of Sieyès' schedule was a division of power.