Absolutely, if every task a given worker can do (even higher level cognitive ones) can be accomplished more economically by a machine, it should be the only con

Absolutely, if every task a given worker can do (even higher level cognitive ones) can be accomplished more economically by a machine, it should be the only conclusion that some mechanism will be required to prevent them from marginalization, regardless of past events (in which low level tasks were automated). I'm not sure this is the case with China yet though. But given the universal availability of technology, it's bound to be a worldwide issue.