Deindustrialization of Detroit: The Costs of Movement

Abstract

This article takes a further step in identifying a more complete economic history of deindustrialization. Following the extension of the timeline and its divorce from the 1970s, this article examines the reasons for production facility relocation out of Detroit prior to the 1970s with a particular focus on the auto industry. This article uses multiple collections from the Reuther Archives at Wayne State University, as well as a data set built from census wage data, to show that production facilities relocated away from Detroit in search of lower wages and tax costs.