I don't think people are fearing not having to work, but inequality as a result. If you don't have redistribution your part is only as big as your work or your

I don't think people are fearing not having to work, but inequality as a result. If you don't have redistribution your part is only as big as your work or your ownership. Since we are quoting, let's go with Stephen Hawking: "If machines produce everything we need, the outcome will depend on how things are distributed. Everyone can enjoy a life of luxurious leisure if the machine-produced wealth is shared, or most people can end up miserably poor if the machine-owners successfully lobby against wealth redistribution. So far, the trend seems to be toward the second option, with technology driving ever-increasing inequality." https://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/3nyn5i/science_ama_series_stephen_hawking_ama_answers/cvsdmkv/ https://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/3nyn5i/science_ama... Of course everything old is new, so you could read for example Hannah Arendt. Our societies have mostly evolved out of how to distribute profits from automation. The reason automation is now the boogeyman is because we have changed paths by not thinking about that.