ISSUE 3- Post War Decline of Industry

Today we will… Explain the effect that the end of WWI had on Scottish industry

Summary With the end of war in November, Scotland’s old traditional heavy industries went into major decline By the 1920s Scotland was facing major unemployment This presentation gives a brief explanation of why each heavy industry declined due to the end of wartime production

Shipbuilding Shipbuilding Increased competition from overseas countries who produced ships cheaper Failure of Scottish shipyards to modernise New technology and production lines led to need for fewer workers No orders for warships, no more warship repairs required Fishing Fishing Rising fuel costs Many boats damaged from being used in war effort

Coal Coal Less coal needed to fuel wartime factories New fuels like electricity more popular Steel Steel End to weapons production decreased demand Textiles/ Jute Textiles/ Jute End to orders for soldiers uniforms, sandbags etc meant fewer orders Other countries i.e. India producing textiles for lower prices Workers on part time hours

Farming Farming We will cover in the ‘land issue’

Conclusions The 1920s in Scotland were associated with economic problems and unemployment – ‘the hungry 20s’ People had forgotten that these heavy industries had been in decline pre 1914 The war years had provided an ‘artificial boom’ – one which would not last 1920s would see large scale emigration from Scotland as unemployed Scots moved abroad to seek work