Despegue, expansión, crisis y reconversión (1860-2000). La vida del eje industrial vertebrado por la ría de Bilbao

Abstract

Throughout a century, the Bilbao Estuary, known as »la Ría de Bilbao», has experienced periods of boost, expansion, crisis and rationalization of its industry, the base of the region's economy. La Ría was the epicentre of the modern industrialization process, which started in the Basque Country at the last quarter of the 18th century. The consequences of the collapse of the economic model based on industry have been felt all around the world. However, the old industrialized regions, such as la Ría, have been the worst-off, due to their long tradition and high specialization in the basic sectors, i.e. iron and steel industry, shipbuilding, metallurgy, etc. The closing of firms and unemployment provoked social response and territorial imbalance became noticeable. Despite the restructuring of the economy and the industrial rationalization, some problems still remain to be resolved, unemployment being the most worrying of all. This complex and most heterogeneous process should not be considered under the conception of an only model. Therein lies the raison d'être of this research.