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Co-operation on coal trading was the impetus for forming the "European Coal and Steel Community" in 1951. Integrationists like French foreign minister Robert Schuman realized that coordinating the coal and steel markets of Germany, France, Italy and the Low Countries could lead to "spillover" in other policy areas; the ECSC indeed morphed into the [[EEC]] and [[European Union]].<ref> J. Gillingham, ''Coal, steel, and the rebirth of Europe, 1945-1955'' (1991); Derek W. Urwin, ''The Community of Europe: A History of European Integration since 1945.'' (1995)</ref>
Co-operation on coal trading was the impetus for forming the "European Coal and Steel Community" in 1951. Integrationists like French foreign minister Robert Schuman realized that coordinating the coal and steel markets of Germany, France, Italy and the Low Countries could lead to "spillover" in other policy areas; the ECSC indeed morphed into the [[EEC]] and [[European Union]].<ref> J. Gillingham, ''Coal, steel, and the rebirth of Europe, 1945-1955'' (1991); Derek W. Urwin, ''The Community of Europe: A History of European Integration since 1945.'' (1995)</ref>
==Privitization==
Privatization has been one of the central planks of economic and industrial policy pursued by British Conservative governments since 1979, and endorsed by [[Tony Blair]]'s Labour party as well.
===Shipbuilding===
The privatization on the state-owned entity British Shipbuilders (BS) was a major event. With the huge expansion of maritime industries between 1945 and 1975, British shipbuilding endured a sustained period of competitive and comparative failure, so that during the slump of the mid-1970s the industry was only saved from total failure by nationalization. British policy, however, had to act within the parameters of broader European Community (EC) legislation which was often contradictory, supporting the industry in the expectation of an upturn in demand while reducing capacity as markets remained weak. Subsidy and capacity reduction were supported by the Shipbuilding Intervention Fund (SIF), which attempted to bridge the price gap between European and Asian prices, and Counterpart Funding, designed to assist those areas where shipbuilding closed, but only on condition that no future shipbuilding be conducted. In the wake of nationalization BS established a tripartite divisional structure serving the merchant, warship, and offshore sectors. With the weak market continuing into the 1980s, both the merchant and offshore sectors were heavy loss-makers, whereas the warship sector enjoyed reasonable profits. By 1984 privatization had been decided upon.<ref> Johnman, Lewis, "The Privatisation of British Shipbuilders" ''International Journal of Maritime History'' 1996 8(2): 1-31.</Ref>
==Further reading==
==Further reading==
* Millward, Robert. "The 1940s Nationalizations in Britain: Means to an End or the Means of Production?" ''Economic History Review'' 1997 50 (2): 209-234.
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