CSMP - South Wales Case Study CS Flashcards
What industry was thriving in South Wales?
Iron, steel and coal
When did the industries thrive from?
1860-1950
When did the industry decline?
1950s
What parts in the South Coast of Wales were the ties of large integrated iron and steel works?
- Port Talbot
- New port
What were the reasons for the decline in the industry?
- Demand falling
- Global shift in market
- New advances in tech
- Land + labour cheaper in MICs
What were the short term consequences of the decline?
- Loss of trade
- Less taxes
- Less services
- Increased crime
- Fall in house prices
- Negative multiplier effect
- Out migration
- Higher unemployment
What were the long term consequences of the decline?
- Subsequent development
- Government policy
- Sectoral shift in the area
Give an example of a govt policy.
Welsh Development Agency
- Transport Improved
- Industrial Estates
What increased demand for coal?
Great War - 1914 -> increased profits
When did mines close?
1921-1936
What happened in 1920?
- Wage agreement abandoned
- Miners laid off
- Unemployment rose over 25%
- Depression -> poverty
How did coal mining industry affect peoples health?
- Lowered life expectancy
- Claims to disability allowance
- 2013 -> heart disease and respiratory problems
In the 1910s what players were involved and what role did they play?
Investors discovered coal deposits -> dev steel and iron industry
What were the changes to social opportunities in the 1910s?
- Drive for profitability led to lax health and safety measures -> gender based health inequalities
- 1913 employed 1/4 million miners
- South Wales Miners Federation to improve wage + work conditions -> reduce inequalities
What are the different regions of South Wales?
- Heads of the South Wales Valleys
- Mouths of the Valleys
- Coastal regions
What were the changes to the patterns of inequality & causes in 1910s?
- Mining villages dependent on single industry
- Coal used for domestic heating an steam ships + trains
- Cyclical economic change did not lead to changes in deprivation levels
What were the place characteristic in 1910 of the South Wales Valleys?
- Inhalation of coal dust -> poor health
- Dangerous industry -> 6000 lost lives in pit disasters
- Produced 50% of British iron exports
- Houses did not conform to building regulations - small terraced
In the 1920s what were the political characteristic?
- Locals relied on self-reliance and welfare support from the Fed
- 1922 Labour Party won all MP seats
In the 1920s what were the cultural characteristic?
Strong social cohesion of mining communities -> strikes
What does NCB stand for?
National Coal Board
What happened during the global recession in 1920s?
- Young skilled workers increased on the coastal cities ->ex coal mining industries declined economically
- Aberfan lack of consumer demand -> shops closing
- NCB - short revival of industry after WWII
How did the characteristic of the region in South Wales change in the 1920s?
- Rural depopulation policy -> encouraged surplus labour to move to regions with more jobs
- Depletion in social capital in the Valleys -> ex miners could not meet the costs of relocation
Why was the NCB established?
To boost coal production after WWII
What were changes to the economy in the 1950s-1980s?
Decline of mines from 160 to 52
What was discovered in 1950s-1980s?
- North Sea Oil
- Nuclear Power generates electricity
What policy was created in 1950s-1980s?
Clean Air Act
What happened during the 1980s recession?
- NCB closed mines to reduce losses to the government - Thatcher
- Gov Commission coal pit closures
- Clean Air Act reduced domestic use of coal
What are the economical effects after mine closures?
- Less than 50% jobs lost due to closure
What did the Govt invest in after mine closures?
- A465 -> the only east-west link -> upgrade to dual carriageway in 2005
- Factory and businesses set up on the coastal plain
What were the changes to the social opportunities after mine closures?
- Depopulation continued in Heads of the Valleys -> outmigration of 24 yr olds and 40-49
- Challenge to retain pop to not fall below threshold where economy no long sustainable -> spiral of decline
How were inequalities after mine closures increased?
Regeneration projects -> Cardiff Bay Development Corporation 1987 -> barrage to increase land value
What were the Welsh Development agency in charge of?
- Land reclamation of derelict colliery sites
- Clearing old pits
- Dev new infrastructure and factory buildings
Which area of the Valleys were the most deprived?
The Heads of the Valleys
What did the Uni of Wales establish in 2000?
Community University of the Valleys -> higher education courses at 3 sites to attract students
What is the education like in the Valleys?
- Young people perform less well compared to nations average
- Highly qualified leave the Valleys
- High proportion of workers with few/no formal qualifications
What was the gender divide like after mine closures?
- Ex miners reluctant to go into service sector as as jobs were not regarded as for men
- Jobs increasingly available for men + women
What are the effects of cyclical economic change and cuts to public spending after mine closures?
- Reliance on state welfare
- Former Miners took early retirement / claimed Sickness benefits -> state pensions
- Young miners economically inactive
- Reduction in Welfare Benefits in Austerity years removed £430m from economy of the Valleys
What programme was enforced to help people enter the job market?
Jobs Growth Wales programme -> 6 month placements with firms at minimum wage to increase skills
What are examples of EU funded projects?
- Working Skills for Adults Scheme £2.7 million
- Bridges into Work Scheme £5.5 million
- Upgrade Heads of the Valleys Road £79 million
Estimated impacts from EU funded projects.
- Close to 37000 new jobs
- Strengthened 11900 new businesses
- Helped 72000 into work
- Support 0.2 million gain qualifications
What drove the decline of the mining industry?
- Trade unions, political attitudes these unions
- Geological and geographical conditions
- Changing energy profile of UK
