English: Logo of the People’s Daily 中文: 人民日报题字 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
This is an amazing, must-read article published by China’s leading paper People’s Daily. Check it out!
via First unmanned factory takes shape in Dongguan City – People’s Daily Online.
It’s worth reading the article carefully and then reflecting on other industries around the world. Technology and especially robotics is likely to take an increasingly share of the unskilled jobs.
Personally, I still think that there are valuable tasks for those with less skills. Rather than pay unemployment benefits surely, surely it would make sense for governments to harness this resource effectively? Possible options include compulsory national service, social service helping the needy, or environmental service, cleaning up the rubbish blighting modern society. Mumbai provides an outstanding example in mobilizing the poor to collect and recycle rubbish.
There evidence is overwhelming, traditional jobs are disappearing, being replaced by technology or off shored where they can be performed more cheaply or more effectively.
Let me ask an open question:
How should responsible governments respond to the demise of traditional jobs?
Thoughts?
Dr Alf's Blog 