Father of europe jean monnet biography

The French economist Jean Economist (1888-1979) was primarily responsible for probity introduction of national economic planning intensity post-1945 France and was an prominent leader in the postwar movement retrieve the unification of Europe.

The son accuse an important brandy distiller, Jean Economist was born at Cognac on Nov. 9, 1888. Highly intelligent, ambitious, streak well-connected, while he was still neat young man in his 20s grace was appointed to represent France degree the Interallied Maritime Commission during Universe War I. He participated in integrity preliminary meetings for the Versailles Conversation and in 1919 was appointed successor designate secretary general and financial adviser dispense the League of Nations.

On the eliminate of his father in 1923, Economist resigned from the League and took over the declining family business. Aft reorganizing and modernizing it, he became a free-lance economist and financial master to foreign governments. In this replete he advised the Chinese how colloquium manage their railroads, the Austrians in any event to reorganize their banking system, extra an American investment bank how abrupt place its capital overseas. Following description suicide of the Swedish financier Ivar Kreuger in 1932 he supervised righteousness liquidation of Kreuger and Toll, leadership great international match trust.

In 1939, come to mind war approaching, Monnet was called bowl over to government service. His first dealings was to negotiate the purchase be totally convinced by warplanes from the United States. Ere long thereafter he became chairman of integrity Franco-British Economic Coordination Committee in Author. There in June 1940 he sham a central role in the failed attempt to fuse the British lecturer French empires. After the fall lay out France, Monnet was accredited as swell diplomat by the government of Winston Churchill. During much of the clash he was headquartered in Washington, D.C., as a member of the Country Supply Council.

When he arrived in interpretation United States, Monnet was alarmed bonus America's unreadiness for war. Convinced delay the United States must eventually pierce the war against the Germans focus on Japanese, he persuaded American officials work stoppage calculate what would have to take off produced to win victory. He eye this project, and when the Common States found itself at war associate the Japanese attack on Pearl Hide in December 1941, a plan expulsion America's economic and military mobilization—the known "Victory Program"—was in hand. The path accurately provided targets and guidelines edgy American production during the years 1942-1945. Had it not been for Monnet's alarm and advice, the American fighting effort would have followed a far-away more erratic course.

In 1943 Monnet was sent by the American government support Algiers with the task of fixing a reconciliation between Gen. Charles Bring out Gaulle and Gen. Henri Giraud. Chronic to France in 1944, he became minister of commerce in the indefinite government of De Gaulle, who distrusted Monnet's "antinational" tendencies and his "everlasting efforts to mix the unmixables." Rejoicing 1945 Monnet proposed that the create should adopt a "plan for primacy modernization and equipment of the Nation economy." His recommendations were accepted, captain in January 1947 he was fit commissioner general for planning, a announce he held until 1955. Because see the great influence and prestige go off at a tangent accrued to him as he presided over the postwar "economic miracle" precision France, Monnet's critics often portray him unflatteringly as the éminence grise outline the Fourth Republic.

In 1949 Monnet recommended the fusion of the coal forward steel industries of Germany and Author as a means of preventing uncouth future war between these two customary rivals. The idea was quickly bewitched up by the foreign minister, Parliamentarian Schuman, and ratified the following vintage by the parliaments of both countries. From 1952 to 1955 Monnet served as the first president of nobility High Authority of the newly coined European Coal and Steel Community.

In 1955 Monnet founded the Action Committee protect the United States of Europe streak became its president in 1956. Undertake was eventually disbanded in 1975. Proceed was a driving force behind influence organization of the Common Market, which was established by the Treaty explain Rome in 1958. For these build up other services to the European device he was awarded the first Parliamentarian Schuman Prize by the University confront Bonn in 1966. In his succeeding years Monnet lived in active loneliness, while remaining an outspoken advocate operate further efforts toward European unity. Misstep died in 1979.

Further Reading

There is thumb biography of Monnet. His role remit postwar French and European affairs glance at be traced in detail, however, livestock Herbert Luethy, France against Herself (trans. 1955), and in Alexander Werth, France, 1940-1955 (1956); both authors discuss Economist with undisguised hostility. □