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Rust Belt, a term coined from
Manufacturing Belt, is an area in parts of the
Midwest and
Mid-Atlantic regions of the
United States of America. The Rust Belt can be broadly defined as the region beginning immediately west of the
BosWash corridor and running west to eastern
Wisconsin. The region extends southward to the beginnings of the coal mining regions of
Appalachia, north to the
Great Lakes and possibly into the manufacturing regions of
Ontario.
Its economic activity forms a significant part of the wealth producing sectors of the American economy including
heavy industry,
manufacturing, and associated industries.
Emerging technologies in this region include
hydrogen fuel cell development,
nanotechnology,
biotechnology,
information technology, and
cognotechnology. The region is an important source of
engineering jobs.
Geographic Definition
The region is roughly defined as comprising the northern sections of
Indiana and
Ohio; the Lower Peninsula of
Michigan; the
Lake Michigan shoreline of Wisconsin, especially around
Milwaukee; some parts of
Upstate New York most of
Pennsylvania; and the northern part of
West Virginia, particularly the
Northern Panhandle. Other cities such as
Baltimore, Maryland and
Wilmington, Delaware which share important economic characteristics are sometimes included. Interestingly,
Saint Louis, Missouri is usually considered to be a rustbelt city, although the surrounding parts of Missouri and Illinois aren't part of the region.
[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5412132 St Louis Escapes Its Rust-Belt Past. NPR, All Things Considered, May 17 2006. Accessed November 15 2006.] Cities that focus on wealth consuming activity such as service and government are usually excluded because of the insignificant production activity and fewer
engineering jobs in these areas. Examples include
Boston, Massachusetts and
Washington, DC.
Sometimes, but not always, the adjacent portions of the
Canadian province of Ontario (particularly the southern and southwestern parts) are included as well, giving the concept an international dimension.
Regions in Canada, especially Ontario, are generally much more economically stable, and tend to have economic growth patterns similar to the western and southern United
History
The area emerged as a center of manufacturing and heavy industry because of its location. Ready sources of
coal just to the south in West Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky as well as in western and northeastern Pennsylvania; an immigration-driven
population boom in the late 19th century; and easy access to shipping on the Great Lakes, and to the East Coast via
canals, and later
railroads. The region was one of the first in the United States to see railroad service, with some of the earliest railroads such as the
Allegheny Portage Railroad located within the region. Coal, iron ore and other raw materials were shipped in from surrounding regions to cities such as
Pittsburgh, which became a center of the steel industry.
Chicago,
Cleveland, and
Detroit emerged as major ports on the Great Lakes and served as transportation hubs for the region with a proximity to railroad lines.
Since the
1960s, the expansion of worldwide
free trade agreements have been less favorable to U.S. workers. Imported goods such as
steel cost much less to produce in
third world countries with cheap foreign labor. Beginning with the recession of 1970-71, a pattern emerged. Competitive devaluation combined with each successive downturn saw traditional U.S.
manufacturing jobs suffer losses. These jobs were often replaced by much lower-paying
service sector jobs when the economy recovered. A gradual expansion of the U.S. trade deficit with China began in 1985. In the ensuing years the U.S. developed a massive trade deficit with the Asian nations of China, Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea. As a result, the traditional manufacturing workers in economies of Rust Belt states have experienced upheaval as one factory after another has been driven out of business and closed. This effect has devastated government budgets across the U.S and increased corporate borrowing to fund retiree benefits.
Other types of advanced manufacturing have emerged in these states such as biotech, nanotech, infotech, and cognotech. Robotization has led to other types of manufacturing output which require fewer workers with varying skills. Moreover, job gains in these areas have not been nearly enough to keep pace with the devastation caused by the ill fated economic policy wrought by competitive devaluation, currency manipulation and currency pegs. As a result, middle class incomes and savings in the United States have been negatively impacted.
In recent years, the inner city populations in the region have decreased, while the suburban populations have increased. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Detroit,
Flint, Cleveland,
Philadelphia, Pittsburgh,
Erie,
Buffalo,
Akron,
Toledo,
Syracuse, St. Louis, Milwaukee and many more are some of the fastest-shrinking big cities in the US, despite attempts to revitalize their
downtown areas.
[http://www.census.gov/population/cen2000/phc-t5/tab04.pdf Incorporated Places of 100,000 or More, Ranked by Percent Population Chanage: 1990-2000 US Census Bureau, Census 2000. Accessed November 162006.] Northern states have mounted a
"Cool Cities" initiative to reverse the trend. The
2004 population estimate showed Rust Belt states averaged less than 2% new growth. In contrast, cities in Southern Ontario have a lively urbanized base and tend to have a much higher economic and population
The region is sometimes called the
Frost Belt or the
Snowbelt as a way to more directly contrast the term
Sun Belt, which is the fastest growing region of the US.
The term "Rust Belt" is a
neologism created by analogy to
Sun Belt,
Grain Belt and
Bible Belt.
See also
*
Economy*
Emerging technologies*
Henry Ford*
Manufacturing*
Patriotism*
Anti-Globalization*
The Foundry*
List of cities in the rust belt External links
*
http://www.coalcampusa.com/rustbelt/rustbelt.htm Rust Belt Pictures References
*
American Steel, Richard Preston (1991), Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-029604-X
*
Images of the Rust Belt, James Jeffery Higgins (1999), Kent State University Press. ISBN 0-87338-626-4
*
Industrial Sunset, Steven High (2003), University of Toronto Press. ISBN 0-8020-8528-8
*
People and folks: gangs, crime, and the underclass in a rust- belt city, John Hagedorn and Perry Macon (1988), Lake View Press. ISBN 0-941702-21-9
*
Reorganizing the Rust Belt, Steven Henry Lopez (2004), University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-23565-7
*
Revival in the rust belt, Daniel R. Denison and Stuart L. Hill (1987), University of Michigan Press. ISBN 0-87944-322-7.
U.S. Belt
Category:Regions of the United Statesde:Rust Beltfr:Rust Beltpt:Cinturão da ferrugem
