Globalisation in the UK

The UK plays a key role in Globalisation.  Historically the UK was a leader in the development of colonialism and empire-building, and as such we have numerous links with countries throughout the world. 

You can use the UK as a case-study in the causes of globalisation, and as an example of the impacts of deindustrialisation.

Colonialism:

Our ex-colonies include...Australia, Canada, India, South Africa, Kenya, Hong Kong, Iraq, Zimbabwe, New Zealand, Barbados, Mauritius, Nigeria, Fiji, The Falkland Islands to name but a few.

Think cricket and rugby and English speaking nations.

Deindustrialisation:

Loss of manufaturing industry to S. America and SE Asia.

Some loss of service industry (call centres) to India.

Regeneration centred around services, retail and recreation.

Birmingham - Heartlands, Broad Street, Merry Hill.

Definition of Deindustrialisation: This is where the percentage of people employed in manufacturing has decline whilst the percentage of the workforce employed in services has increasd in a region or country.

The term deindustrialisation is used to signal the relative decline of manufacturing in most of the MEDCs (including the UK and USA). The major cause of the decline has been the strong growth in services. Some manufacturing industries have declined to the point of extinction (ship-building), others chave moved off-shore to cheaper and less regulated locations, manufacturing (such as high-tech industries) has remained an important sector of an MEDC economy.