Napoleon the Little

'Napoléon the Little' by Victor Hugo is a political pamphlet that criticizes the rule of Napoleon III and the Second French Empire. Hugo's criticism was particularly significant as he was a widely respected French figure who lived in exile during most of Napoleon III's reign. The pamphlet features the now-famous adage "2 + 2 = 5" as a way to reject authority's truth, which was later used by George Orwell in "Nineteen Eighty-Four." Despite its controversial nature, the pamphlet was popular, with volumes smuggled into France and read at secret meetings, making it a significant piece of French literature.