Reflection on the French Revolution and Napoleon

In learning about the French Revolution and Napoleon, it shows just how much change one country can go through in such a short period of time.  In less than half a century, France went through multiple complete overhauls of their government.  They went from an absolute monarchy, to some form of a republic, with unicameral and bicameral assemblies, to having an emperor, all the while at war or at least on bad terms with the rest of Europe.  But, through it all, the country both lost and gained certain things, while in the end seeming to turn out better than the did before.