The Lancashire coalfield, 1945-1972 : the politics of industrial change
The purpose of this thesis is to analyse the process of industrial change in the Lancashire coalfield during the post-war period. Industrial change refers to the processes of modernisation and rationalisation of the coal industry and the broader modernisation of the coalfield. As a regional study of a British coalfield in which industrial change was written large it sheds light on the under-researched process of the modernisation of a staple industry and the political imperatives which accompanied it. This study is unique because for the first time it undertakes a re-evaluation of industrial change in the coal industry through an appraisal of available historical sources. The thesis proceeds from the premise that industrial change was impelled by a longstanding socialist analysis of Britain's industrial dispensation and the post-war debate on Britain's perceived decline. It is argued that these two factors informed a desire for modernity in post-war Britain in which the coal industry was caught between the requirement to modernise and to provide a key role in wider economic modernisation. It is advanced that these factors saw the coal industry squeezed by government economic and political priorities in favour
Catterall, Stephen John
Industry ; Trade Unions ; Labour Party
The Lancashire coalfield, 1945-1972 : the politics of industrial change. The purpose of this thesis is to analyse the process of industrial change in the Lancashire coalfield during the post-war period. Industrial change refers to the processes of modernisation and rationalisation of the coal industry and the broader modernisation of the coalfield. As a regional study of a British coalfield in which industrial change was written large it sheds light on the under-researched process of the modernisation of a staple industry and the political imperatives which accompanied it. This study is unique because for the first time it undertakes a re-evaluation of industrial change in the coal industry through an appraisal of available historical sources. The thesis proceeds from the premise that industrial change was impelled by a longstanding socialist analysis of Britain's industrial dispensation and the post-war debate on Britain's perceived decline. It is argued that these two factors informed a desire for modernity in post-war Britain in which the coal industry was caught between the requirement to modernise and to provide a key role in wider economic modernisation. It is advanced that these factors saw the coal industry squeezed by government economic and political priorities in favour
lancashire coalfield politics industrial_change purpose analyse process industrial_change lancashire coalfield post_war_period industrial_change refers process modernisation rationalisation coal_industry broad modernisation coalfield regional_study british coalfield industrial_change write large shed_light under_researched process modernisation staple industry political imperative accompany study unique first_time undertakes re_evaluation industrial_change coal_industry appraisal available historical_source proceeds premise industrial_change longstanding socialist analysis britain industrial dispensation post_war debate britain perceive decline argue factor inform desire modernity post_war britain coal_industry catch requirement modernise provide_key role wider_economic modernisation advanced factor saw coal_industry government economic_political priority favour