4 ms·

1) if it does turn out to be true that we need "fewer workers", that's great, we just move to a 30-hour work week (or 20, or whatever). We once had 6-day work

1) if it does turn out to be true that we need "fewer workers", that's great, we just move to a 30-hour work week (or 20, or whatever). We once had 6-day work weeks, or sometimes even 7, and it was productivity gains that allowed us to move to 5. We can move again. 2) But, I'm not sure it's even true. We mostly got to where we are by having all the manufacturing done in 3rd world countries for pennies. It's not that it doesn't take a lot of hours, it's just that we pay little for it. Which is great, if you're one of those who has a job, but bad in lots of other ways. 3) Regarding automation, it should be noted that the manufacturing did not, by and large, go to the countries with the best robots, or even the most reliable electricity for automation. It went to where the environmental, health, and safety laws were laxest, and the cost of labor was lowest. This suggests that there is still plenty of labor that needs doing, we just are run by an elite that doesn't want to pay for it.

frankbreetz 7y ago
I like the idea or shortening the work day, unfortunately the commonman jobs are the ones being automated out of existence. There will only be a smaller percentage of people who can actually do the majority of the jobs. Education may help some with this but only to a certain degree. The days of assembly line work are nearing an end. I don't know what will happen to the population who are unable to work, perhaps more specialization is the answer
- rossdavidh 7y ago
  See point #3, above. The "commonman jobs" did not, in fact, get automated out of existence, they mostly got moved to countries with LESS automation than the advanced economies, which is the opposite of what one would predict if automation were the issue.
vageli 7y ago
> 1) if it does turn out to be true that we need "fewer workers", that's great, we just move to a 30-hour work week (or 20, or whatever). We once had 6-day work weeks, or sometimes even 7, and it was productivity gains that allowed us to move to 5. We can move again. Shorten the work week and it is hourly workers getting screwed. Unless we think, for some reason, corporations will take it upon themselves to pay more for less, especially since the labor pool would be more competitive with increases in automation.
- asfgjkladmxvn 7y ago
  > Shorten the work week and it is hourly workers getting screwed. Funny this is exactly one argument that was used against the 40 hour working week!
- sokoloff 7y ago
  I see no reason to think that full time salaries wouldn’t also fall. If the goal is to employ more people, the first solution that will be tried is “at roughly the same total labor expense”. Exempt employees will not be exempt from this pressure on wages.

frankbreetz 7y ago

I like the idea or shortening the work day, unfortunately the commonman jobs are the ones being automated out of existence. There will only be a smaller percentage of people who can actually do the majority of the jobs. Education may help some with this but only to a certain degree. The days of assembly line work are nearing an end. I don't know what will happen to the population who are unable to work, perhaps more specialization is the answer

rossdavidh 7y ago
See point #3, above. The "commonman jobs" did not, in fact, get automated out of existence, they mostly got moved to countries with LESS automation than the advanced economies, which is the opposite of what one would predict if automation were the issue.

vageli 7y ago

> 1) if it does turn out to be true that we need "fewer workers", that's great, we just move to a 30-hour work week (or 20, or whatever). We once had 6-day work weeks, or sometimes even 7, and it was productivity gains that allowed us to move to 5. We can move again. Shorten the work week and it is hourly workers getting screwed. Unless we think, for some reason, corporations will take it upon themselves to pay more for less, especially since the labor pool would be more competitive with increases in automation.

asfgjkladmxvn 7y ago
> Shorten the work week and it is hourly workers getting screwed. Funny this is exactly one argument that was used against the 40 hour working week!
sokoloff 7y ago
I see no reason to think that full time salaries wouldn’t also fall. If the goal is to employ more people, the first solution that will be tried is “at roughly the same total labor expense”. Exempt employees will not be exempt from this pressure on wages.