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It's debatable; cheap labour could in theory have indefinitely postponed this. But I think it is not a loss that less people take orders for burgers. What is
by mattnewton 10y ago
It's debatable; cheap labour could in theory have indefinitely postponed this.
But I think it is not a loss that less people take orders for burgers.
What is a loss though is there are less easy ways for people to participate in society economically.
- rukittenme 10y agoSlavery could not have postponed this. Automation is inevitable. We would still have things like the tractor and the combine even if slavery were still permitted.
- acjohnson55 10y agoInterestingly, technology, in the form of the cotton gin, actually made slavery in America more viable. So the relationship between automation and labor demand isn't necessarily trivial. But I would agree that it seems like in today's society, automation will indeed substantially decrease the demand for labor.
- mattnewton 10y agoRight, if labor is cheap automation will take the form of augmenting it instead of supplanting it; think call centers instead of kiosks.