Ernest Mercier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ernest Mercier
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| Born | 4 February 1878 |
| Died | 11 July 1955 (aged 77) |
| Nationality | French |
| Education | École Polytechnique |
| Occupation | Industrialist |
Ernest Mercier (1878 – 1955) was a French industrialist. He was a key leader in the French oil industry. He directed the French Petroleum Company (CFP). This company later became Total, a very large French oil company. Ernest's father, Jean Ernest Mercier, was a historian. He was also the mayor of Constantine, Algeria, where Ernest was born. At that time, Algeria was a French colony.
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Early Life and Military Service
Ernest Mercier's grandfather, Stanislas Mercier, was a Protestant from France. He moved to Algeria when it was a French colony. Ernest's father, Jean Ernest Mercier, worked as an interpreter for the colonial army. He also wrote many books. Ernest Jr. was the third of five children.
After studying at the École Polytechnique, a famous engineering school, Ernest joined the French Navy. He worked in Toulon, where he helped modernize the port. He improved its electrical system. He continued his education at the École Supérieure d’Electricité from 1905 to 1908. During this time, he married Madeleine Tassin. Her father was an important politician. Later, Ernest left government work to join a private electricity company.
Ernest Mercier During World War I
During the First World War, Ernest Mercier was drafted into the navy. He fought in the Balkans and the Dardanelles. He was known for his "fighting spirit." After being injured while leading troops, he returned to Paris. There, he worked with Louis Loucheur, who was in charge of military supplies. Mercier helped connect Loucheur with important generals and American troops.
After the war, he stayed on as Colonel Mercier for the Anglo-American forces. When Louis Loucheur became a minister, Mercier worked with him. He helped manage German factories that were under military control.
Leading the Electrical and Oil Industries
Ernest Mercier was very active in two new and growing industries: electricity and oil. These industries helped boost the French economy in the 1920s. In 1919, he helped create the Electrical Union. This group brought together many small electricity companies around Paris. Between the two World Wars, he became a major figure in France's electrical power industry. He built power plants that used heat or water to make electricity.
Founding the French Petroleum Company
In 1923, important government officials asked Mercier to rebuild France's oil industry. They wanted to create a large company to supply oil to the nation. The war had shown how important oil was. It also showed that France needed its own strong oil supply. So, the French Petroleum Company (CFP) was started in March 1924.
At first, CFP was a private company. But in 1931, a law gave the French government 35% of its ownership. Mercier worked hard to prevent the government from taking over the entire company. CFP grew by getting oil from places like Kirkuk, Iraq, and later Colombia and Venezuela. It also had interests in Romania. Mercier expanded the company by building oil pipelines and refineries. These were built near Le Havre and Martigues.
From 1933 to 1940, Ernest Mercier was the President of Alsthom, another large industrial company.
Public Service and Economic Ideas
Ernest Mercier was one of many wealthy business leaders in France. He believed that the government system at the time was slowing down business growth. In December 1925, Mercier started a movement called the Redressement Français. This name means "French Resurgence." Its goal was to bring together smart leaders and inspire the public.
A Vision for Modern France
This movement had two main goals. First, it wanted France to adopt an economic model like Henry Ford's. This meant high production, good salaries, and lots of consumer spending. Second, it aimed to modernize politics and government. Mercier had a vision for a more efficient, expert-led society. However, he found it hard to convince other business leaders or politicians to join him. His ideas were ahead of their time.
His movement faced challenges. After some political events in 1934, Mercier decided to close the Redressement Français in 1935. He then stepped back from being the main voice for modernizing ideas. Other leaders took on that role.
Mercier also worked on foreign policy. After a friend passed away in 1931, he led the French Pan-European Committee. In 1932, a group of experts suggested that France should work closely with England. This was to put pressure on Germany. In 1934, he suggested stronger ties with the USRR to isolate Germany. He also spoke about Russia at a special center for economic studies in 1936.
World War II and Later Life
In May 1940, the American ambassador in Paris asked Mercier for help. He wanted Mercier to organize the distribution of aid from the American Red Cross. Even though some of his former colleagues joined the Vichy government, Ernest Mercier did not work with them. He believed that this decision led to new laws that forced him to leave the CFP.
Mercier had remarried in 1927 to Marguerite Dreyfus. She was the niece of Alfred Dreyfus. Because of this, Mercier faced unfair attacks. He avoided being arrested and sent away only because he was in the hospital for a serious illness. Later, he joined the French Resistance. He worked with famous people like the architect Auguste Perret and writer André Siegfried.
In November 1944, he attended a conference about international business. They studied how to build a peaceful economy after the war. In 1946, the electricity companies Mercier had managed became part of a national company called Électricité de France. This marked the end of his career as a business leader. He continued to lead the French branch of the International Chamber of Commerce. He also served on the boards of several companies. As an engineer, he kept researching electric turbines.
