Jean Monnet’s methods of integrating Europeans leading to a United States of Europe

Abstract

The first aim of the article is to present the Jean Monnet’s concept of the people’s integration, in historical development, particularly European, according to his credo: “We are not forming coalitions between States, but union among people”. In his conception the ultimate goal of each stage of integration is Community is a way of uniting peoples; each form of integration required appropriate institutions: “institutions are more important than men”. He defined the individual stages of European integration: from the European Community, a undefined Fédération européenne and finally the United States of Europe (les Etats-Unis d’Europe): “The union of European peoples in the United States of Europe is the way to raise their standard of living and preserve peace”. Monnet understood the federalism as both a long way leading to   a goal and an ultimate goal, which will not be achieved immediately as one whole: it will built gradually by concrete achievements that create de facto solidarity. For Monnet the concept of solidarity is related to the concepts of subsidiarity and sovereignty. The effectiveness of  a transnational/supranational organization (international system), is provided by ‘international Authority’ which became e.g. a High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community. To this kind of Authority is delegating sovereignty: a part of the national sovereignty of the member states is delegated to an independent supranational body – there „power of decision” have a merger of sovereignty or pooling sovereignty.the second aim of the article is to present the methods of implementing subsequent stages of European integration – from European Community, Federation of Europe to the United States of Europe. These methods were based on the his “institutionalism”, the ideas Christhian philosophy of H.-F. Amiel and Descartes’ rationalism, especially his method of discourse. This kind of rationalism was reinforced by philosophy of common sense. A method of reaching “truth” through discourse reinforced by philosophy of common sense became the theoretical basis of method “concerted action” and an implementation of “partial” elements of the federalism process. According to his credo he used the same method: “getting people to sit round the table together” both when developing plans with his collaborators and in political or economic negotiations. The negotiation partners were not only politicians, but also economists and trade union representatives. After resigning from the position of chairman of High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community Monnet implemented his concept of the Fédération euro- péenne through the Action Committee for the United States of Europe.