CAST STUDY - Birmingham economic change

Question 1

what was Birmingham like before economic change until 1800s

Answer 1

• small market town
• De Birmingham Family helped it get granted royal charter in 1166 by King Henry II
• by 1700s population grew to 15k driven by rural-urban migration seeking work in emerging industries
• rich natural resources around (eg coal, iron Dudley/ Black County) –> growth in metalworking industries (knives, nails, swords)
• 1761 - Matthew Boulton founded SoHo Manufactory. worlds first factory employing 700 workers. introduced assembly line concept

Question 2

what was Birmingham like before economic change 1800 - 1900s

Answer 2

• gun, brass, jewellery thrived
• known as ‘City of a Thousand Trades’
• growing middle class boosted development of law, banking and insurance services
• Lloyds Bank, Midlands Bank 1850s - industrial growth and innovation
• Cadbury family built Bournville factory and model village in 1870s - improving worker welfare on cities rural-urban fringe
• transport revolution: canals in 1700s/1800s and London Birmingham railway 1838 improved goods and labour movement
• by 1900 population 500k+ and densely packed w terraced housing around factories

Question 3

types of economic change that took place 1900-2000

Answer 3

• post WW2 - decline of traditional manufacturing industries - metals and vehicles
• Globalisation - Goods from cheaper countries reduce Birmingham’s competitiveness. many local businesses failed
• 1973 oil crisis - oil prices rose ($3–>$12/barrel) making local production £££ therefore Austin car manufacturing decline
• 1980s large scale factory closure eg Dunlop Tyres caused mass unemployment
• deindustrialisation increased knowledge-based jobs to replace manual jobs
• between 1950 and 2013 metal manufacturing dropped from 22% employment to under 5%
• growth of tertiary sector - finance, retail, education, law, public service

Question 4

role of players in these changes

Answer 4

1. TNCS - relocated overseas for cheaper costs –> left Birmingham vulnerable
2. Local government - regeneration to attract investment eg Birmingham Airport Expansion, National Exhibition Centre
3. Uk government - promoted TNCs like Nissan but dirceted them to Swindon not bimringham
4. EU funding - European Regional Development Fund + Social Investment Fund helped improve skills, housing, infrastructure
5. urban planners - Library, HS2, Universities

Question 5

SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS of economic change on Birmingham

Answer 5

• unemployment peaked at 19% in 1982 - above national average 12%
• loss of skilled jobs –> economic decline, poverty, deprivation especially inner city areas
• skills mismatch - many older workers couldn’t go into service-based jobs
• increase of service sector jobs - reduced unemployment but low paid, insecure, part time
• urban regeneration improved cities image but led to inequality

Question 6

CULTURAL IMPACTS of economic change on Birmingham

Answer 6

• became ethnically diverse post-WW2 international migration from the Caribbean, South Asia, and the Far East.
• By 2011: only 53.1% White British, 13.5% Pakistani.
• diversity in culture, food, and religion (e.g. Balti Triangle, Central Mosque)

Question 7

DEMOGRAPHIC IMPACTS of economic change on Birmingham

Answer 7

• Youthful population: 38% under age 24 (compared to 31% nationally) → increased demand for education, jobs, and housing.
• Suburbanisation occurred as wealthier residents moved to the outskirts for better living conditions.

Question 8

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS of economic change on Birmingham

Answer 8

• Slum clearance displaced communities; over 400 tower blocks were built on the city’s fringe
• Former industrial areas (e.g. Jewellery Quarter) were either left derelict or redeveloped for tourism and business

Question 9

De Birmingham Family

Answer 9

• wealthy landowners who secured roayl charter from King Henry II 1166 to hold a market
  –> established Birmingham as ‘market town’ - attracting trade, craftsmen
  –> their influence laid economic foundation that later enabled industrial growth

Question 10

Matthew Bolton

Answer 10

• entrepreneur, engineer
• built SoHo Manufactory 1761 - worlds first factory
• employed 700 workers
• brought workers and machinery together - mass production
  –> turned Birmingham into major industrial centre - metalworking

Question 11

Cadbury Family

Answer 11

• founded Bournville chocolate factory in 1870s on rural-urban fringe
• build model village - high-quality housing, parks, services for workers at factory
  –> promoted worker welfare at a time where industrial housing was poor
  –> boosted Birmingham’s image as industrial city

Question 12

Car Manufacturing sector

Answer 12

• Austin Cars founded 1906
  –> Birmingham one of the UK’s leading car manufacturing centres.
  –> at peak employed 22k+
  –> decline in 1970/80s caused huge job losses fulling deindustrialisation

Question 13

Banking

Answer 13

• when Bs trade industry expanded in 1800s banks emerged:
• Lloyds 1765
• Midlands 1836
  –> provided loans, insurance, capital investment for businesses
  –> shows Bs shift from industrial city to growing service/tertiary sector