The brave new world of robots and lost jobs

Re:The brave new world of robots and lost jobs by danielbln on Friday August 12, 2016 @09:02AM (#12275233)

In 1850, 60%+ of the American labour force were farmers and over the next 100 years their jobs were automated out of existence by range of more efficient 'robots'. This was no-doubt harmful for many specific farm labourers, but didn't 'screw over the economy'.

I hear that argument all the time, but I wonder if it takes into account the ever increasing pace of technological advancement.

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Re:The brave new world of robots and lost jobs by oli5679 on Friday August 12, 2016 @11:40AM (#12276520)

I think the labour-market effects of technological advancement are slower now than they have been at any time in the last 100 years. The internet and mobile phones have large impacts on media-consumption and social dynamics but they aren't dramatically reshuffling the labour force in the same way innovations like the combine-harvester, container-ship, car and washing-machine did every decade between 1900 and 1970.

http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/gdp-growth

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Re:The brave new world of robots and lost jobs by grp on Friday August 12, 2016 @09:09AM (#12275279)

And with the Civil War and the two World Wars, it greatly reduces the need for jobs.

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