Who was responsible for the closure of the factories, foundries or coal mines?

Answer 1

There are several reasons. Unions are part of the reason some industries have closed. Management attempted to modernize, but needed concessions from unions to finance the costs. The unions would not compromise so plants closed or moved. Foreign competition had an impact. Some countries have subsidized their own industries, such as steel, so that these companies, in collusion with their governments, could effectively dump their products on the American market to gain market share. Today, much of our steel is imported rather than having the foundries in the U.S. The other thing which has hurt many industries is greed from management. There have been instances where management has been rewarded handsomely, even though the companies they were running were unprofitable. The last item is over regulation by the government. High taxes and layers of regulations have driven many companies to close or go abroad, where governments are more corporate friendly. It isn't a single thing which has caused problems in many industries. It is a combination of factors.

Answer 2

Market forces. The steel industry, for example, got so big and non-innovative that they priced themselves out of the market.

Answer 3

The bush regime

Answer 4

the government