ABB
During the 1970s and 1980s, Pennsylvania witnessed firsthand deindustrialization. A lot of steel industry factories closed and laid off their workers. On the other hand, we notice “creative destruction,” meaning that there was a replacement for the gap the manufacturing industries made with service-based industries like health care and education. As a result, the working class was recycled in many ways.
The steel industry declined due to strikes, technology, and competition, which led many men to lose their jobs. This caused a lot of financial pressure on families, hence we notice a rise in women’s labor, particularly in working for healthcare systems, because women were portrayed by churches and media to be caregivers. Retraining was a failed technique because its programs were underfunded, and they were unable to absorb the obsolete skills of steelworkers, especially with the technological advancement and the shift to automation and computer usage that happened.
This resulted in the migration of young people (a 6.7% population loss between 1980-1990) (article). Additionally, unemployment did not allow citizens to get proper access to healthcare systems, which eventually increased the rate of mortality, and it was also a lot of stress to sustain one’s life, which caused a mental health crisis. Domestic violence was rising up and due to economic pressure, many couples could not afford to split up.
Social welfare programs were weak because the system was underfunded due to the enormous demand. The government budget cuts made social aid harder to access. With fewer resources available, the system was simply overwhelmed.
Will Wright 