Using the formalism of nucleon-nucleon scattering as a starting point, electron scattering from spin-1/2 nuclei is examined. It is seen that high-energy electron-nucleon scattering, for example, exhibits a remarkable simplicity when compared with that of nucleon-nucleon scattering. The 6 amplitudes and 36 nucleon-nucleon observables are reduced to 3 and 9, respectively, by the relativistic nature of the electron. The one-photon exchange mechanism finally reduces the number of amplitudes and independent observables to 2. This treatment serves to extend the spin-polarization ''language'' of hadronic scattering to that of electron scattering also. 6 refs. (LEW)