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
