Industry.The sky scraping smokestacks and the large compounds.It is what made the modern world what it is today and helps us thrive. The United States was made from industry and industry is what has helped propel it into the world power that it is.Envision a map of the U.S and then look to the east and narrow it down on North Carolina until you find Caldwell County. Caldwell County has had its share of successes over the years, for example country singer Eric Church and Major League Baseball player Madison Bumgarner.It has also had its share of problems.One of these problems is the lack of new industry coming into the area in recent years. Let us begin at the Great Recession of 2008. Before the recession, unemployment rates were between …show more content…
The policymakers looked to see what could be done to avoid and amend mistakes made during the Great Depression. During the 1930’s, the national leaders at the time went with fiscal plans to based on balanced budgets. Tax revenue at the time fell with economic growth and when the economy needed spending it was cut. Thankfully this time the U.S government did not cut spending. Instead they spent money on projects as simple as road construction and schools. This in return stimulated the economy and resulted in it not completely turning to …show more content…
North Carolina, especially Caldwell County, has a rich history saturated in the furniture tradition. It started in the seventeenth century when English furniture artisans migrated into North Carolina and settled across the state. Counties like Catawba,Caldwell, and Alexander were settled in the Piedmont Triad for their abundance of wood. Then beginning in the 1990’s, North Carolina began to feel the effects of foreign competition.This lead to companies laying off workers and the eventual shutdown of several companies.Then China entered the world playing field in 2001 when it entered the World Trade Organization.This would eventually spell doom for several companies and millions of jobs. As materials and labor, along with cheap wages, increased overseas in areas like China, companies decided to shift plants and production overseas. This lead to major job loss in Caldwell County. Exports from North Carolina grew at a steady rate from 2002 until 2008, with an increase from $153 million to $300 million. Then the recession of 2008 hit and exports dropped by 38%. Unemployment was already decently high before the recession but when it hit in 2008, unemployment rose up to a staggering 15% in Caldwell County. Today exports have yet to reach the peak it was at in