This open access book examines the future of inequality, work and wages in the age of automation with a focus on developing countries. The authors argue that the rise of a global ‘robot reserve army’ has profound effects on labor markets and economic development, but, rather than causing mass unemployment, new technologies are more likely to lead to stagnant wages and premature deindustrialization. The book illuminates the debate on the impact of automation upon economic development, in particular issues of poverty, inequality and work. It highlights public policy responses and strategies–ranging from containment to coping mechanisms—to confront the effects of automation.
Author(s): Lukas Schlogl, Andy Sumner
Series: Rethinking International Development Series
Publisher: Palgrave Pivot
Year: 2020
Language: English
Pages: 106
Tags: Development And Social Change
Acknowledgements......Page 6
Contents......Page 7
List of Figures......Page 9
List of Tables......Page 10
Abstract......Page 11
1.1 Introduction......Page 12
1.2 The Contribution and Structure of This Book......Page 13
References......Page 14
Part I The Contemporary Context for Economic Development in the Developing World......Page 18
2.1 Three Schools of Economic Development Theory......Page 19
2.2 Economic Development with Structural Transformation: Kaldor Revisited......Page 22
2.3 Economic Development with Structural Transformation: Lewis Revisited......Page 24
References......Page 26
3.1 A Sketch of Contemporary Economic Development and Structural Transformation......Page 29
3.2 The Characteristics of Contemporary Economic Development......Page 37
References......Page 40
Part II The Future of Economic Development, Work and Wages in the Developing World......Page 42
4.1 Contemporary Technological Trends......Page 43
4.2 Automation: Definitions and Determinants......Page 45
4.3 Theoretical Perspectives on Automation......Page 48
References......Page 51
5.1 Characteristics of Developing Countries......Page 56
5.2 Disrupted Development? The Role of Technological Change in Long-Run Economic Development......Page 57
5.3 The Fourth Industrial Reserve Army......Page 64
5.4 Existing Empirical Forecasts of the Employment Effects of Automation......Page 66
5.5 Empirical Patterns of Automatability and Economic Development......Page 71
References......Page 79
6.1 Politics and Technology......Page 84
6.2 Characterizing Public Policy Responses......Page 85
References......Page 87
Abstract......Page 89
References......Page 93
Index......Page 103
