Herrera 1

Alexander Herrera
Robert Lewis
HST 3327.01
22 November 2019
A Common Goal

On May 9th, 1950, Robert Schuman announced a new plan to unite the Federal Republic

of Germany and France’s coal and steel industry. The Federal Republic of Germany joined the

talks on May 11th, 1951.1 The assembly deciding the terms of the treaty to create a common

market, was joined by Italy, Benelux, and the Netherlands, to create “The Six” in June of 1950.2

These six countries joined together and signed the Paris Treaty on April 18th, 1951 agreeing and

entering into the European Coal and Steel community (ECSC).3 Although all diplomats from The

Six had contributions of their own to the treaty, Jean Monnet was the largest contributor to how

the community was established.4 The creation of the European Coal and Steel Community has

been significant because of the peace and unity it has brought to Europe. John Gillingham in his

book, Coal, steel, and the rebirth of Europe, 1945-1955: the Germans and French from Ruhr

conflict to Economic Community, he argued what made the Schuman Plan and the ECSC and

Steel Community significant was the bond made between France, Germany, and the other

countries, but its original intent was diminished due to the troubling negotiating between the six

countries.5 Though Gillingham argued that the document that the ECSC had diverged from that

of the original intent of announced plan the European Coal and Steel Community, the remained

1
Robert Schuman, “The Schuman Declaration – 9 May 1950,” European Union, October 24, 2017,
https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/symbols/europe-day/schuman-declaration_en).
2
John Gillingham, Coal, Steel, and the Rebirth of Europe, 1945-1955: the Germans and French from Ruhr Conflict
to Economic Community (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2004), 228.
3
“French Aims at Six-Power Conference,” Times (London), June 20, 1950.
4
“Schuman Plan Treaty,” Times (London), June 20, 1950.
5
https://www.cvce.eu/content/publication/1998/11/16/df3cd481-d843-4cd1-92f6-7bc16026195d/publishable.jpg
Herrera 2

significant because it fulfilled the original goals regardless of the failure to meet all objectives

from the Schuman plan announced in May of 1950.

The original plan, crafted by Jean Monnet and announced by Robert Schuman, on May

9th, 1950, was to create unity in Europe by eliminating trade barriers, reduce resource inequality,

and create a High Authority that maintains countries follow the plan. The original plan argued

that peace in Europe would not be achieved the unity of France and Germany. In the

announcement by Schuman he said, “The solidarity in production thus established will make it

plain that any war between France and Germany becomes not merely unthinkable, but materially

impossible.”6 The original intent for the future treaty, according to the announcement, was the

creation of economic dependence and a common market between France and Germany that

would eliminate trade barriers. The Schuman Plan also intended to modernize of Europe through

shared resources. Schuman, in the announcement, argued by that having the economies combine

economies allowed for the pooling of resources, which would be used to raise the standard of

living for Europeans and used also to develop Africa.7 This shows that the intent for the plan was

the creation of a pool of resources was to allow for a moving of resources where needed to

maintain discontent within Europe and the world. Schuman’s original plan was intended to be

regulated by a High Authority. The announcement originally described the High authority in the

announcement as, “The common High Authority entrusted with the management of the scheme

will be composed of independent persons appointed by the governments, giving equal

representation.”8 The regulation of the community in the original vision, as laid out in the

announcement of the plan, was to create equal opportunity to the decisions made within it and

keep countries from breaking laws to create a war, like France and Germany. The creation of a
6
“The Schuman Declaration – 9 May 1950”
7
“The Schuman Declaration – 9 May 1950”
8
“The Schuman Declaration – 9 May 1950”
Herrera 3

High authority that maintains the alliance and the regulation of Germany and France while also

redistributing natural resources to allow higher standards of living and modernization for the

peace of Europe was the original intentions laid out in the Schuman Plan announcement on May

9th, 1950.

Gillingham argued the threat of the negotiations collapsing, Jean Monnet capitulated and

caused much of the document to change. Jean Monnet, tried to fulfil the promise of equalizing

resources and raising the standard of living by equalizing wages, which failed due to Belgian

interests. Gillingham argued that because the Belgians had the highest paid laborers that it should

not be forced by the High Authority to reduce their wages or output.9 This limiting of the High

Authority’s ability to regulate wages was a move away from the equalizing of a common

standard of living with in those who worked in the ECSC. Jean Monnet further proposed

equalized pricing to establish economic unity. Gillingham argued this failed to be established due

to the Italian’s poor steel and coal industry, “In order to finance modernization the Italians were

also allowed to maintain their steel tariffs for another five years.”10 This was the elimination of

the High Authority’s power to price set and equalize to reduce competition. Gillingham’s argued

that the inability of the High Authority to properly price set, wage regulate, and equalize the

standard of living was a failure of the power of the High Authority and the power needed to

properly unify and regulate the opposition between Germany and France.

Without the ability to price set, regulate wages, or equalize output, the High Authority

had the ability to unify, modernize, and raise the standard of living using what powers in the

treaty it did have. In the final agreement the High Authority does obtain the ability to regulate

9
, Coal, Steel, and the Rebirth of Europe, 1945-1955: the Germans and French from Ruhr Conflict to Economic
Community, 244.
10
, Coal, Steel, and the Rebirth of Europe, 1945-1955: the Germans and French from Ruhr Conflict to Economic
Community, 250.
Herrera 4

wages. The Times (London), in their article, “Schuman Plan Treaty,” on March 21, 1951,

reported, “Wage levels are to be fixed according to national practices, the Authority may

intervene if it finds that wages in any firm are abnormally low.”11 Though Gillingham’s

argument of the High Authority is unable to fully regulate wages what power it could use was

able to maintain and regulate wages was a move towards the original goal of raising the standard

of living. The High Authority was also able to retain the original intent of resource manipulation

to create modernization. The Times (London), on March 21st, 1951 also reported, “In the Event of

scarcity, the Authority allocates production and raw materials within the community.”12 The

High Authority’s power to redistribute materials was first used in Italy. On February 15th, 1951,

the Times (London) reported that the French at Santa Margherita agreed the corporation would

expand and supply Italy with ore and coal supplies for industry development.13 This showed that

the original objective of the Schuman plan was achieved, but differently than first announced.

The Final treaty in Paris was also able to achieve unity and peace between Germany and France

though mutual representation in decisions. The Council of Ministers membership, according to

Times (London)’s article, “Final Phase of Schuman Plan,” reported on April 13th, 1951, was

composed of six members one for each country so that no one country has the ability to veto and

most decisions require two-thirds majority vote.14 The Council of Ministers allows for Germany

to contribute to the regulation and decision made on their industries. The final document of the

Schuman Plan or the European Coal and Steel Community, regardless of the pushing back of the

six countries, was able to realize their goals of a peaceful unity, modernization of Europe, and

the creation of a High authority that maintains these regulations.

11
“Schuman Plan Treaty,” Times (London), March 21, 1951.
12
Times (London), March 21, 1951.
13
“France and Italy,” February 15, 1951.
14
“Final Phase of Schuman Plan”, April 13, 1951.
Herrera 5

The announcement of the Schuman Plan on May 9th, 1950 was the start of a negotiations

to create a new unified Europe. Jean Monnet’s original vison, as highlighted in the

announcement on May 9th, 1951 by Robert Schuman, was the ending of opposition between

Germany and France, the creation of a common market where both wages and prices are

regulated, and modernization of Europe through a redistributing of natural resources and the

raising the standard of living. Jean Monnet’s High Authority vison was dimmed by national

interest of countries that contributed to the agreement. Even though the interest of the individual

countries were disruptive to the original design the original ambitions of the market remained.

The High Authority that Jean Monnet originally envisioned was able to create an agreement that

satisfied the Belgians and still allowed it to regulate wages. It also was able to maintain the

ability to redistribute resources but did have to give up the ability to maintain a duty-free market.

The original goal of the Schuman plan was the creation of a unified dependent France and with

the Council of Ministers requiring both countries to reach a compromise they are dependent on

working together to reach a common the common goal.

Herrera 6

Works Cited:

Primary:

"Final Phase of Schuman Plan." Times, April 13, 1951, 4.

"France and Italy." Times, February 15, 1951, 7.

"French Aims at Six-Power Conference." Times, June 20, 1950, 4.

"Schuman Plan Treaty." Times, March 21, 1951, 3.

Shuman, Robert. “The Schuman Declaration – 9 May 1950.” European Union. May 9th, 1951.

Secondary:

Gillingham, John. Coal, Steel, and the Rebirth of Europe, 1945-1955: The Germans and French
from Ruhr Conflict to Economic Community. Cambridge [England] ; New York, NY,
USA: Cambridge University Press, 1991.