The experience of peripheral regions in an age of industrialisation : the case of Devon, 1840-1914
This thesis addresses the unresolved question of whether industrialisation helps or hinders progress in the peripheral regions of developing economies. Devon is seen as a 'sample of space' within which the breaking down of regional identities by changes in the Victorian transport infrastructure can be monitored. As the county's fortunes were thus primarily dependent upon the course of development in the wider national economy the survey of changes in economic activity within Devon is concerned mainly with relating internal adjustments to external pressures and opportunities. The balance of these appears to have resulted in a demand 'leakage* from the county's economy, and a net outwards flow of migrants, for there was a chronic deficit in Devon's balance of payments with the rest of Britain. This was probably exacerbated by an outflow of capital. But the relative contraction of employment within the county took a selective form in accordance with the developing specialisation of activity across the' national economic space. On the evidence of comparative wages in agriculture it seems that direct external demand was of central importance to the elimination of spatial differentials after 1870. But for the county
Finch, Greg P.
Industrialization ; History ; England ; Devon
The experience of peripheral regions in an age of industrialisation : the case of Devon, 1840-1914. This thesis addresses the unresolved question of whether industrialisation helps or hinders progress in the peripheral regions of developing economies. Devon is seen as a 'sample of space' within which the breaking down of regional identities by changes in the Victorian transport infrastructure can be monitored. As the county's fortunes were thus primarily dependent upon the course of development in the wider national economy the survey of changes in economic activity within Devon is concerned mainly with relating internal adjustments to external pressures and opportunities. The balance of these appears to have resulted in a demand 'leakage* from the county's economy, and a net outwards flow of migrants, for there was a chronic deficit in Devon's balance of payments with the rest of Britain. This was probably exacerbated by an outflow of capital. But the relative contraction of employment within the county took a selective form in accordance with the developing specialisation of activity across the' national economic space. On the evidence of comparative wages in agriculture it seems that direct external demand was of central importance to the elimination of spatial differentials after 1870. But for the county
experience peripheral region age industrialisation case devon address unresolved question_whether industrialisation help hinders progress peripheral region develop economy devon see sample space within break regional_identity change victorian transport infrastructure monitor county fortune thus primarily dependent_upon course development wider national economy survey change economic_activity within devon concern mainly relate internal adjustment external pressure opportunity balance appear resulted demand county economy net outwards flow migrant chronic deficit devon balance payment rest britain probably exacerbate capital relative contraction employment within_county take selective form accordance develop specialisation activity across national_economic space evidence comparative wage agriculture seem direct external demand central_importance elimination spatial differential county