From Empire to Europe: The Decline and Revival of British Industry Since the Second World War

From Empire to Europe: The Decline and Revival of British Industry Since the Second World War
Geoffrey Owen

Renowned industrial expert Geoffrey Owen analyses the complex reasons behind the delayed modernisation of British industry.In 1945, following the economic hardship of the war years, British industry looked forward with confidence to re-establishing links with its traditional trading partners in the Empire, and in the years of reconstruction which followed enjoyed unprecendented growth and prosperity. But the emergence of an economically vigorous and fiercely competitive Europe forced Britain to come to terms with some fundamental industrial weaknesses and to question where her economic destiny lay as the ‘miracle economies’ of France and Germany began to overtake her own.Through case studies of key industries from textiles to pharmaceuticals, steel to electronics, Owen offers a vivid account of Britain’s industrial progress, and argues that since the late 1970s British industry has undergone a painful but necessary transformation which has rapidly modernised the UK economy.At the start of a new millennium, as Britain once again debates its relationship with an ever more unified Europe, Geoffrey Owen provides a timely appraisal of the often troubled path that Britain has taken from Empire to Europe.

FROM EMPIRE TO EUROPE

The Decline and Revival of British Industry

Since the Second World War

GEOFFREY OWEN

Copyright (#ulink_bcfa026c-3cec-51fa-9e1f-e8ff53399548)

William Collins

An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd.

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

www.harpercollins.co.uk (http://www.harpercollins.co.uk)

First published in Great Britain by HarperCollinsPublishers 1999

Copyright © Geoffrey Owen 1999

Geoffrey Owen asserts the moral right to

be identified as the author of this work

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

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Source ISBN: 9780006387503

Ebook Edition © JANUARY 2017 ISBN: 9780008100889

Version: 2017-01-18

Contents

Cover (#u3327c1db-0f98-5944-8b05-2819261885a3)

Title Page (#u01830e50-1eb8-5cd4-9a90-cc95e22fa4de)

Copyright (#ulink_8a7e81bb-fba7-5ba0-9547-1d6aa0e71322)

1 (#ulink_09c39a64-1142-5de4-989a-2e60b0cf379b)Falling Behind and Catching up (#ulink_09c39a64-1142-5de4-989a-2e60b0cf379b)

PART I

Historical Background

2 (#ulink_d8291d4f-5a4b-58b9-b747-0d916113f9de)The Consequences of Coming First (#ulink_d8291d4f-5a4b-58b9-b747-0d916113f9de)

3 (#ulink_f8c7f91f-bc58-5dfe-b74f-a67784429bfc)Britain, Germany and France after the Second World War (#ulink_f8c7f91f-bc58-5dfe-b74f-a67784429bfc)

PART II

Industries and Firms

4 (#ulink_2ea46ba9-6d11-58a0-b34b-ec9d65114fe3)Textiles: Misdirected Modernisation (#ulink_2ea46ba9-6d11-58a0-b34b-ec9d65114fe3)

5 (#ulink_75f79982-6f72-546e-8037-88fd52fe1dad)Shipbuilding: Imprisoned by History (#ulink_75f79982-6f72-546e-8037-88fd52fe1dad)

6 (#ulink_0e4fa410-551c-5753-a56f-abaa7cda22b2)Steel: The Thatcher Effect (#ulink_0e4fa410-551c-5753-a56f-abaa7cda22b2)

7 (#litres_trial_promo)The Globalisation of the Paper Industry (#litres_trial_promo)

8 (#litres_trial_promo)Engineering: From World Leader to Niche Player (#litres_trial_promo)

9 (#litres_trial_promo)The Motor Industry: An Avoidable Disaster (#litres_trial_promo)

10 (#litres_trial_promo)Electronics: A Shared European Failure (#litres_trial_promo)

11 (#litres_trial_promo)Aerospace: Partnership with Government (#litres_trial_promo)

12 (#litres_trial_promo)Chemicals: The Birth, growth and Break-up of a National Champion (#litres_trial_promo)

13 (#litres_trial_promo)Pharmaceuticals: A Winning Formula (#litres_trial_promo)

PART III

Institutions and Policies

14 (#litres_trial_promo)The Financial System (#litres_trial_promo)

15 (#litres_trial_promo)Training, Education and Culture (#litres_trial_promo)

16 (#litres_trial_promo)Trade Unions and Labour Relations (#litres_trial_promo)

17 (#litres_trial_promo)The Role of Government: From Consensus to Competition (#litres_trial_promo)

18 (#litres_trial_promo)Conclusion (#litres_trial_promo)