When computer automation takes over most jobs, who will be in a position to consume products and services without earned income? Well, obviously those maintaining the technology will be in the forefront with more than decent wages but the vast majority will be on some form of government welfare and on a fixed income.
Politically this is a little scary because the overwhelming majority will always vote for more welfare money and this could enslave the remaining elite working class and make them slaves supporting the welfare class. I would strongly suggest that we reduce the votes of those on welfare to a fraction of one vote so that the vote of the minority working class has more clout. Of course this will need a constitutional amendment which is probably highly unlikely to pass.
The robots will be the new dominant workers and it makes sense that they will eventually be taxed to fund all the humans which they have replaced and now will be living on welfare. A guaranteed annual minimum wage without working has already been proposed so effectively most will not be working but just spending money given by the government. The political and social ramifications are revolutionary but the financial ramifications are revolutionary also where financial growth is going to be dependent on an increase in robot productivity and not human productivity.
There will be no credit for those on welfare so spending and their income will only rise if their government benefits will. Inflation will be less of a problem because there will be over production. Monopolistic production may be in the hands of relatively few so prices and inflation may rise because of product price increases in the monopolistic economy.
Most humans will no longer own their own cars, own homes, and recreational vehicles but will be renting them if they save up enough money. They will be riding around in hired driverless vehicles, living in apartments, having few if any offspring, and spending most of their time at home. They will be eating, drinking, doing drugs, having sex, and spending most of their time online in search of entertainment or if smart, seeking further useful educational advancement.
For some, not having to work sounds like utopia but for others it is a kind of dystopia or permanent retirement from life with all its possible adventures, anxieties, stresses, and tragedies. Was human kind meant to live in retirement mode or will it cause a dramatic increase in health problems, addictions, and mental illness? Only time will tell.
Small businesses will dramatically decrease because the initial capital investment in them will be huge and the probability of failure extremely high. Specialty internet small businesses may still thrive but employed workers for these enterprises will probably be minimal.
Actually what I have outlined so far is a likely scenario if a country is self sustaining or self supporting and produces everything that it consumes. Realistically we are in a competitive worldwide environment of relatively free trade and the threat of financial national bankruptcy is a greater threat than is that of robotization. If you just keep spending and producing very little for consumption or export bankruptcy is inevitable.
Other countries are becoming more competitive and are producing products more cheaply than we could ever hope to. The United States will have relatively cheap products from around the world but the budget deficit will grow by leaps and bounds.
International banks, corporations, and institutions have more political clout than that of any one nation. Wealth is being spread worldwide and the United States unfortunately is on a never ending slide in standard of living. A more likely scenario is that the United States will just become another third world nation with relatively few in a wealthy upper class and the vast majority will be in a relatively poor lower class as far as income is concerned.
Unless made in the United States has a rebirth and there are things which the world needs from the United States, besides food, energy, and military protection, the United States will continue its almost inevitable economic slide downwards on into the foreseeable future.
Much more could be written about automation such as bot content creators for almost everything we see and read, bot actors, bot musicians, bot teachers, bot nannies, bot sexual partners, drone deliveries, etc. No human field is safe from robotization or a symbiosis between humans and machines. How fast this trend will continue is debatable but this kind of change is inevitable to the detriment of future generations of average not exceptional humans. If you are part of the technological revolution then you will do just fine. If not, your life may seem rather meaningless without a job that you can derive satisfaction and purpose from.
If you liked this evergreen truth blog then read more of them, about 4500 so far, or read one or more of my evergreen truth books, especially EVERGREEN TRUTH, rays of truth in a human world filled with myths and deceptions.
For a complete readily accessible list of blogs and titles go to twitter.com/uldissprogis.
Enjoy!!!!!!
If you enjoyed this blog then here is a list of my most popular ones which you may also enjoy!!!
uldissprogis 