For this purpose she modified the municipal organisation created by her great predecessor, and granted to all the towns an Imperial Charter.

This charter remained without essential modification until the publication of the new Municipality Law in 1870.
The efforts of the Government to create a rich, intelligent tiers-etat were not attended with much success.

Their influence was always more apparent in official documents than in real life.

The great mass of the population remained serfs, fixed to the soil, whilst the nobles--that is to say, all who possessed a little education--were required for the military and civil services.

Those who were sent abroad to learn the useful arts learned little, and made little use of the knowledge which they acquired.