Interregional Shifts
There are shifts occurring within many MDCs from where traditional sites for industry have been to new locations based primarily on wage rates and governmental policies.
United States: Historically, the Northeast region of the United States has been the area with the highest manufacturing jobs. In fact, one reason the Union was able to prevail over the Confederacy during the American Civil War was due to manufacturing capability and infrastructure. This lack of railway and road networks in the South continued to make it a poorer region of the US long after the American Civil War. This was also due in part to the Industrial Revolution changing much of the landscape for the Northern cities and not changing too much for Southern cities. Without the labor force or infrastructure needed, the South would lag behind the North for decades.
However, a shift has occurred for industry in the US from the Northern cities to the Southern and Western cities due to many governmental policy changes. For example, public work projects such as the Tennessee Valley Authority brought jobs and electricity to help the economic gap between the North and South in the 20th century. With the creation of more railroads and roads, the transportation network would improve commerce and trade.
Another reason for the shift is state government and right-to-work laws. These laws prohibit a company and a union from making contracts for workers to join unions in order to be employed. Because of this, many industries began to move to the Southern and Western states in order to move away from the creation of unions.
Finally, wages in the South had been primarily lower in the Southern states and cities versus their Northern counterparts. With less labor costs, many companies and industries have moved to take advantage of these savings.
Europe: Similar actions have resulted in the shift from Northwestern European countries to Southeastern countries. The difference in Europe is that the European Union (EU) has directly and unabashedly made these policies to help move industry to these convergence regions (Eastern and Southern Europe).
United States: Historically, the Northeast region of the United States has been the area with the highest manufacturing jobs. In fact, one reason the Union was able to prevail over the Confederacy during the American Civil War was due to manufacturing capability and infrastructure. This lack of railway and road networks in the South continued to make it a poorer region of the US long after the American Civil War. This was also due in part to the Industrial Revolution changing much of the landscape for the Northern cities and not changing too much for Southern cities. Without the labor force or infrastructure needed, the South would lag behind the North for decades.
However, a shift has occurred for industry in the US from the Northern cities to the Southern and Western cities due to many governmental policy changes. For example, public work projects such as the Tennessee Valley Authority brought jobs and electricity to help the economic gap between the North and South in the 20th century. With the creation of more railroads and roads, the transportation network would improve commerce and trade.
Another reason for the shift is state government and right-to-work laws. These laws prohibit a company and a union from making contracts for workers to join unions in order to be employed. Because of this, many industries began to move to the Southern and Western states in order to move away from the creation of unions.
Finally, wages in the South had been primarily lower in the Southern states and cities versus their Northern counterparts. With less labor costs, many companies and industries have moved to take advantage of these savings.
Europe: Similar actions have resulted in the shift from Northwestern European countries to Southeastern countries. The difference in Europe is that the European Union (EU) has directly and unabashedly made these policies to help move industry to these convergence regions (Eastern and Southern Europe).
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Related Links: Industry- Interregional and International Shifts Quiz North America's Industrial Areas AP Human Geography Quizzes AP Human Geography Notes |