The Rust Belt is likely to make a comeback, and it’s about time. With recent positive developments for these economically hollowed-out states, and the 2024 presidential election in full swing, the Rust Belt is set to take center stage in the coming months. It remains to be seen, however, whether sustained engine-nuity can keep their tired cities steering their way out of economic turmoil.
The terms “Rust Belt” and “flourishing” are rarely seen in the same sentence, but it wasn’t always that way. The Rust Belt, a collection of states in the Midwestern and Eastern parts of the US that used to be America’s principal manufacturing hub, boomed during the first half of the 1900s with the success of the automobile industry. Randy Fox, an American photographer with extensive background detailing what has happened to the Rust Belt explained, “The arc of the American auto industry and the fortunes of the Rust Belt are so intertwined.” He stated, “If people really want to see what’s become of the American Dream, they should visit Clairton, Pennsylvania or Youngstown, Ohio. The people of these towns are virtually forgotten.” From the 1950s to the 1980s, economic activity in the region drastically declined due to a combination of globalization causing products to be manufactured cheaper overseas in places like Japan, and many of its cities having a lack of diversity in terms of their economic output. The Rust Belt’s former title as the “Steel Belt” was glorious and accurate, as its states were powerhouses of steel and manufactured goods. Yet, this hurt them in the long run when they weren’t able to adapt economically to changing times due to their narrow economic output. Eventually, the term “Rust Belt” came along and stuck, often used in contrast to the term “Sun Belt”, a collection of states in the southern regions of America that exploded in population after World War II due to their relatively nice weather and abundant economic opportunities. With the combination of negative economic factors stacked against them and the suburbs of the Sun Belt providing ample room for fleeing workers, many thought that there was no way the Rust Belt was ever going to recover… or so they thought.
In 2022, the region had massive amounts of capital poured into it with the passage of the CHIPS and Science Act, which boosted technological research, manufacturing, and employment all over America, but with a focus on the Rust Belt and other economically sunken areas. One of the biggest provisions of this act included plans to build Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (Tech Hubs), regional centers for the development of public-private partnerships for the creation and deployment of emerging technologies in fields such as medical science. These would, in theory, help areas like the Rust Belt recover from hard economic times and thrive in this tumultuous era of Big Tech and AI. Overall, this investment has been working well. Ohio, which has continuously lagged behind economically, has recently attracted massive investment from companies like Intel as a result of the act, and some see it becoming the next “Silicon Heartland.” Taylor Purdy, a pipe layer working on a semiconductor factory commissioned by Intel currently being built near Columbus, explained that because of the widespread positive news about the project, he does not need to go in-depth when telling people what job he is doing, joyfully explaining, “They all know what I’m talking about”. Workers like Purdy are eager to work on these new high-tech projects that will go on to employ thousands of people. For Ohio and a few other Rust Belt states, there seems to be a lot to look forward to.
On the other hand, other Rust Belt states have seen more mixed results. Kentucky, home of the infamous “Hillbilly Highway” that once promised many impoverished people in the Appalachians economic opportunities, but has since drastically declined economically, is struggling to follow through with economic projects, such as the building of new manufacturing centers even with the help of the CHIPS and Science Act. Just like most instances of redevelopment, it’s not going to be easy for these more hard-hit states. Ultimately, at the state-wide level, although economic rebounds have been mixed, promising results so far demonstrate that the Rust Belt may be on its way to reclaiming its former glory.
In addition, many cities in the Rust Belt have implemented efforts to revitalize their economies with some positive results so far. Yet just as state-wide recoveries have been mixed, so too have city-wide ones. Detroit, at one point the biggest automobile manufacturing hub in America, was particularly hit hard by the rusting of the Steel Belt, leading it to file for bankruptcy nine years ago. A different picture is seen today, however, with their tourism and tech industries booming more than ever. How did they do it? A combination of local reforms, such as the creation of luxurious buildings and natural scenery to boost tourism, as well as investment from the state of Michigan and wealthy entrepreneurs, were two of the driving factors that brought back from the dead this previous example of urban decay. Now Detroit stands as a shining city on a hill: proof that even the hardest-hit Rust Belt cities can be revitalized if given the right mix of time, reforms, and money.
On the other hand, cities like Gary, once one of the largest industrial cities in Indiana, have been unable to make a recovery despite investment and reforms. 30% of Gary’s homes are vacant, and its high rate of unemployment at 10.3% doesn’t show many signs of improvement. Some may point to Detroit and say that these Rust Belt cities are best left to their own devices when it comes to their economic development, but Gary shows that this couldn’t be farther from the truth. In 1994, they were dubbed the “Murder Capital of the US” by the Chicago Tribune, and although violent crime has decreased in recent years, Gary’s has remained stubbornly high. Gary shows that these Rust Belt cities still need help. After all, even Detroit wasn’t able to be revived on its own.
While some frugal opponents say that we should not waste our tax dollars on building up these desolate cities that take so much to recover, this conclusion is flawed. We cannot merely sit back and watch while hundreds of thousands continue to struggle due to a lack of employment and infrastructure, especially when the revival of this region has the potential to completely revamp our national economy, allowing America to remain competitive in an ever-increasingly tumultuous world. All in all, the Rust Belt is a mixed bag when it comes to cities’ economic recoveries, but early signs of improvement show what a renewed Steel Belt might look like if they can get the help they need, as well as what this revival can mean for the future of our nation.
While the Rust Belt is no longer considered to be the center of the American economy, it’s important to acknowledge its role in politics. Voters in the Rust Belt have been one of the most decisive groups in presidential elections for the last 40 years, as this region is where most of the historic swing states are, such as Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Both Vice President Harris and former President Trump have wasted no time in flocking to these states to attract votes, as whichever candidate focuses more on pitching development ideas for these critical economies just may win. A main reason for Donald Trump’s win in 2016 stemmed from his appeals to the disheartened people of the region, as he promoted hedging back on the negative effects of globalization by investing heavily in domestic manufacturing—a promise voters felt was unfulfilled by Democrats. In this election cycle, Democrats’ lead with the white working class, clustered heavily in the Rust Belt, has dwindled to a mere six points, despite the aforementioned CHIPS and Science Act approved by President Biden. With bleak outlooks that have seeped into popular media and created a subculture of mutual disheartenment, seen in influential stories such as J.D. Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy, it’s no wonder this area remains a block of frustration. One of the principal reasons Vance was chosen as Trump’s VP pick was because of his individualized connection to the Rust Belt’s disturbed economic history. If Harris wants a fair shot at winning, she’ll need to appeal to the economic needs of the Rust Belt.
The phenomenon of an industrial heartland declining is not unique to the United States, it’s also happening in the UK. There, cities such as Blackpool, have been hollowed out due to cheap labor abroad, causing domestic manufacturing to dwindle. A spokesperson for their city council admitted: “…[Blackpool] is faced with both economic and health challenges including high levels of deprivation, dependency and social need…” Like Rust Belt cities in the US, many of the cities in the UK’s north and midlands areas have seen drastic decline in recent years. As a result of failed promises by leftist political parties like the Labor Party, since the 1980s, many voters in these regions have turned more and more to the conservative Tory party, similarly mirroring the political ramifications of the rusting of the Steel Belt in the US. The UK’s own industrial decline demonstrates that this issue is not merely an issue the US faces, but one other developed countries seem to be struggling with too.
It’s clear that the Rust Belt requires more support from their respective state governments, as well as the federal government in the form of technological investment, infrastructure development, and attraction of human capital. Behind the poll numbers and economic metrics, real people in the Rust Belt are suffering, but unless we want them to remain another statistic in our history textbooks, sustained support is critical.
Featured Image Source: Dezeen
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