What describes a difference between the French Governments under Maximilien de Robespierre and Napoleon Bonaparte?

Answer 1

Robespierre ruled over a representative government, while Napoléon ruled over a Dictatorship.

Answer 2

Most importantly, the legitimacy of their rule. Robbespierre's rule and that of the revolutionary Government was completely based on emergency laws with many of its officers operating on the basis of vague and general instructions that gave them enormous scope for abuse of power. Robbespierre was a prime example of this. He operated as if he was the leader of the country, but in reality he was never even appointed as Head of the executive committee (the so-called Comité du Salut Public) and simply assumed an almost unlimited power that wasn't based on any law.

You could compare him to US senator McCarthy who conducted a rule of terror of sorts during the "Red Scare" Communist witch hunt during the 1950's: they both ruled by browbeating others, constantly questioning the patriotism and loyalty of anyone opposing him, destroying the lives of countless innocent people (although McCarthy admittedly not by having them guillotined) and finally falling from grace by making the mistake of starting to accuse his fellow-members of Parliament.

Napoleon Bonaparte's rule - including the use of his wide powers - was based on laws . Napoleon further created a number of important and innovative law books that were to influence laws all over Europe for at least the next hundred years. He did not wage war on his own countrymen, and the Guillotine under his rule was only used for criminals convicted to death by a regular Court of Law after a fair trial. He also introduced important measures like acces to proper education for all, the separation of Church and State and an agreement on this with the Pope and he introduced the decimal system all over Europe. In the lands that he conquered, he did away with the absolute rule of their rulers and introduced the rule of law there.