How Did the Location of Industry Respond to Falling Transport Costs in Britain Before World War I?

B-Tier
Journal: Journal of Economic History
Year: 2006
Volume: 66
Issue: 3
Pages: 575-607

Authors (2)

CRAFTS, NICHOLAS (not in RePEc) MULATU, ABAY (Coventry University)

Score contribution per author:

1.005 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

This article explores the location of industry in pre–World War I Britain using a model that takes account both of factor endowment and also of New Economic Geography influences. Broadly speaking, the pattern of industrial location in this period was quite persistent and regional specialization changed little. The econometric results show that factor endowments had much stronger effects than proximity to markets, although the latter was an attraction for industries with large plant size. Overall, falling transport costs had relatively little effect on industrial location at a time when proximity to natural resources, notably coal, mattered most.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:cup:jechis:v:66:y:2006:i:03:p:575-607_00
Journal Field
Economic History
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-25