Meanwhile, he too invested heavily in economic development to keep the people happy. He encouraged the creation of new banks, which helped finance a huge boom in railway construction during the 1850s – by the end of the decade, the total length of railway lines in France was three times what it had been at the beginning. This stimulated the iron, steel and engineering industries, and the emperor was also careful to ensure full employment by embarking on a major programme of public works, much of it privately financed.
