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For steel you need iron ore and coal, which the UK has plenty of. It was heavily industrialized in the 19th century. It's not that different in terms of natural
by mike_hearn 1y ago
For steel you need iron ore and coal, which the UK has plenty of. It was heavily industrialized in the 19th century. It's not that different in terms of natural resources to Germany.
British cars could have remained competitive for a lot longer if labour relations had been like in Germany. Germany's organized labour is/was famously mild compared to the feral British unions that were run by open Marxists and did things like topple governments.
- MangoToupe 1y agoGermany's economy is currently collapsing because they can't import cheap energy. I don't think unions matter much, except to democracy. The british isle is also unlikely to become a steel production hub unless it both grows massively and reorganizes its labor around efficiency rather than profit.
- mike_hearn 1y agoThat's true today but is a very recent thing. The trends I'm talking about were mostly in the 20th century when Germany had cheap energy. Britain was a steel production hub once, making 40% of the world's output. But I agree it's unlikely to become one again. For one many of its coal mines were shut down and flooded or otherwise destroyed.
- pbhjpbhj 1y agoIt sounds like your hypothesis is that if only the poor people knew their place, and remained serfs, then UK manufacturing would be the best in the World... I'm sure you're insisting on working for below minimum wage with no holidays and no sick pay, just to show that unions are worthless.