Jean Monnet Quotes

There will be no peace in Europe if the States rebuild themselves on the basis of national sovereignty, with its implications of prestige politics and economic protection... The countries of Europe are not strong enough individually to be able to guarantee prosperity and social development for their peoples. The States of Europe must therefore form a federation or a European entity that would make them into a common economic unit.

Make men work together, show them that beyond their differences and geographical boundaries there lies a common interest.

People only accept change when they are faced with necessity, and only recognize necessity when a crisis is upon them.

Have I said clearly enough that the Community we created is not an end in itself? It is a process of change, continuing in that same process which in an earlier period produced our national forms of life. The sovereign nations of the past can no longer solve the problems of the present: they cannot ensure their own progress or control their own future. And the Community itself is only a stage on the way of the organized world of tomorrow.

The fusion (of economic functions) would compel nations to fuse their sovereignty into that of a single European State.

There is no future for the people of Europe other than in union.

There is no real peace in Europe, if the states are reconstituted on a basis of national sovereignty. (…) They must have larger markets. Their prosperity is impossible, unless the States of Europe form themselves in a European Federation.

Nothing is possible without men; nothing is lasting without institutions.

Building Union among people not cooperation between states

Europe has never existed. One must genuinely create Europe.

Men only act in a state of necessity and usually only recognise necessity in a situation of crisis.

Everyone is ambition. The question is whether he is ambitious to be or to do.

Via money Europe could become political in five years

Premature ideas do not exist, one must bide one's time until the right moment comes along.

The great thing about making cognac is that it teaches you above everything else to wait-man proposes, but time and God and the seasons have got to be on your side.