“Crises are Opportunities” Jean Monnet and the First Steps towards Europe
“Crises are Opportunities” Jean Monnet and the First Steps towards Europe

Summary/Abstract: Jean Monnet is best known as the Founding Father of Europe. This is a remarkable fact, as we know that in the course of history there have been several attempts to create some sort of unity within Europe. Most of these ended without producing tangible results. It was only after having faced the disastrous consequences of two devastating wars that the nations of Europe realised: something had to be done to prevent a third war, which, no doubt, would mean an end to European civilisation. There was an urging need for real change, which had to be at least threefold: a change in the minds of people, followed by or aided by a change in the relationships between countries, which involved a change in politics and diplomacy. This seemed a task too immense and difficult to be realised. Had it not been for Jean Monnet and his team, Europe would probably have continued along the old lines leading to new chaos and suffering. The greatness of Jean Monnet lies not in his ability to draw up ideas but to stick firmly to them and to transform them into functioning structures. Monnet played a key role in creating the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) thus establishing a firm basis for a new Europe represented by the European Economic Community (EEC) and later by the European Union (EU), both influenced by his Action Committee for the United States of Europe. Europe is his chef d’oeuvre, that much is true. But it was not there that his career started. No one coming fresh into the political scene could have achieved so much. There is an astonishing constellation of age, places, personality, and methods that is remarkable about Monnet’ life.

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