Deindustrialization of rural America: Economic restructuring and the rural ghetto

ABSTRACT

Since 2000, there has been a significant decline in the number of manufacturing jobs in the US. The manufacturing sector has provided good jobs and benefits, and it has a stronger multiplier effect on regional economies than other industries. Post-industrial theory suggests that there is a natural transition from agriculture to manufacturing, and ultimately, to services. Rural areas, especially those that are small and not adjacent to a metropolitan area, lack the population density and size to support many service sector jobs. Deindustrialization has led to the rise of “rural ghettos.” These places face many of the same problems as urban ghettos, such as high levels of underemployment, selective out-migration, social isolation, drug use, and lack of services.

KEYWORDS:

• Deindustrialization
• rural development
• ghetto

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded through the support of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education.