CH4 A World in Arms Britain's War Against Napoleon 3 of 3 Freedom. 24/03/2013 11:08:54

The Revolution of 1789 transformed France from decadent monarchy to modern state. It threw up the first citizen's army and introduced the concept of Total War. Under the leadership of Napoleon Bonaparte, the greatest general of his age, France established a mighty empire. Its haughty ambitions naturally brought it into conflict with the British Empire, and the war that erupted as a result shook the world …

Part 3: Freedom An examination of how British ideas of liberty in the 18th century were dramatically changed by events across the English Channel, prompting a move toward conservative thinking. The French Revolution terrified the British government, and the need to fund the fight against Napoleon meant the introduction of taxation, bureaucracy and censorship : but how much do these ideas continue to influence thinking today?