Schuman, Robert. A German citizen, Robert Schuman was born June 29, 1886, and died September 4, 1963. Robert Schuman was credited with creating the European Coal And Steel Community, which was the forerunner of the European Economic Community (also known as the Common Market). The European Economic Community was the forerunner of the European Union. Therefore, it can be said that Schuman was essentially the one who started the European Union, considering that he started the European Coal And Steel Community, it became the European Economic Community, and it became the European Union.
Schuman was born in Luxembourg, his father was German, so he was a German citizen, by birth. His full name was Jean Baptiste Nicole Robert Schuman. He graduated from a university in 1910 with a law degree. He opened a law firm in the German city of Metz in 1912, and he joined the city government of Metz in 1918. He was elected as a member of the French national assembly in 1919. He is well-known for a declaration he made on May 9, 1950. In this declaration, he proposed that the European Coal and Steel Community should be created.
It was reasoned that if nations go to war, to fight over resources, an international organization would prevent such wars. The European Coal and Steel community basically involved uniting several European countries, in matters regarding the production of commodities such as coal and steel. Quoting from the declaration of May 9, 1950: "It proposes that Franco-German production of coal and steel as a whole be placed under a common high authority, within the framework of an organization open to the other countries of Europe", the declaration goes on to say: "The movement of coal and steel between member countries will immediately be freed from all customs duty, and will not be affected by differential transport rates".
In his personal life, Robert Schuman was described as celibate, and a devout Catholic. Some Catholics proposed that the Catholic Church should declare him to be a saint.
Scrip. Scrip currency is currency that is used as a substitute for real currency. Scrip currency was used in some places during the great depression of the 1930's. In the depression, some factory workers were paid in scrip, instead of real money. Local stores agreed to accept scrip as a substitute for real money. Since scrip does not purport to be real money, it is not considered to be counterfeit.
Shatter. Shatter was the title of a comic book published in the 1980's. It was described as 'the world's first computerized comic book' because a computer was used to produce the pictures in it. The story line in Shatter was about insurance companies that had taken over the world.
Spectacle. A spectacle is a cultural focus. Many societies around the world are dominated by a spectacle. In Nazi Germany,their culture was dominated by the spectacle of Nazi propaganda. In the Soviet Union,their society was dominated by the spectacle of Communist propaganda. In Iran,their society was dominated by the spectacle of Islamic revolution. In the U.S.A.,society is dominated by the spectacle of corporate power.
