Something that is already occuring is as technology automates millions out of work... it has a growing and ultimately catastrophic impact even on those who are still in work.
Firstly there is an evaporation of their market. I think a good estimate in the UK is we are losing ~half a million jobs a year. A net loss of that. About 1% of the labour force each year. Well say you live in a town where the steel mill gets retrofited and now needs only 2,500 workers instead of 6,000. You are talking a virtual obliteration of the town's economy.. I've seen it in the North of England.
This obliteration affects near all the local businesses and their employees. This is one of the reasons Brits are fleeing to 'greater London'.. sort of a last stand of the old economy. Like a regime dying under assault from another power, eventually the remaining regime forces coalesce in the capital city.
The second indirect assault comes from the impact that a flood of now unemployed workers exerts on the remaining workers. Say you are fairly well making £25 pounds an hour. You are smart, good with customers.. but ultimately like all humans have flaws too. Well many of the now unemployed are also smart, hard working.. and now desperate. Some say they can learn and take over your job and would be happy to do it for £15 an hour.
A report on the front page of the forum said 'wages fall for the 5th straight year'. -Entirely predictable in a world of automation and surplus human labour.
No comments:
Post a Comment