Final answer:
Napoleon controlled large groups through skilled military strategy, charismatic leadership, and changing social structures, coupled with effective propaganda. He increased his empire’s power through conscription, a merit-based military, and strategic innovations, while maintaining high morale and loyalty through victories, personal leadership, and controlling information dissemination.
Step-by-step explanation:
Control of Large Populations by Napoleon and Ron Jones
Napoleon Bonaparte, a dominant figure in history, exercised control over large groups of people through a combination of military strategy, innovation, and sheer charisma. Adopting the changes introduced by the French Revolution, he capitalized on the elimination of noble privilege which allowed for mass conscription and a meritocratic officer corps. This led to an increase in the size and flexibility of the armies, which proved essential in implementing his military strategies of dispersal and concentration that often outsmarted his enemies.
His mastery in military logistics and uncanny memory enabled him to manage the movements of troops and supplies effectively, ensuring his armies' superiority in the field. Maintaining high morale within the troops and the French populace was achieved through his leadership style, personal participation in battles, and control of the narrative via pro-Napoleonic propaganda and censorship.
Despite his revolutionary adherence, Napoleon's rule was marked by his personal quest for power, leading to the creation of puppet states managed by his relatives and a highly centralized empire that he micromanaged. Nonetheless, Napoleon's strategies, including reinstating members of discredited nobility and introducing civil reforms, not only extended France's dominion across Europe but also ensured the loyalty and order of his subjects during his reign.