Technology-Induced Class Conflict
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A Technology-Induced Class Conflict is a class conflict that arises when technological advancements lead to changes in the economic and social status of different social classes.
- Context:
- It can (typically) occur when new technologies disrupt existing industries, leading to job losses or changes in job roles that disproportionately affect one class over another.
- It can (often) lead to political and social upheavals as affected groups seek to assert their rights or reclaim lost economic ground.
- It can range from being a Localized Class Conflict due to specific technological changes in an industry to a Widespread Class Conflict affecting multiple sectors.
- It can be exacerbated by a lack of adequate social safety nets or policies to manage the transition for displaced workers.
- It can lead to a restructuring of class dynamics, where traditional class hierarchies are challenged or altered by new economic realities.
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- Example(s):
- The displacement of skilled artisans during the Industrial Revolution by automated machinery, leading to the Luddite Movement.
- The ongoing shift in the automotive industry towards electric vehicles and automation, impacting traditional manufacturing jobs and causing economic tension between workers and manufacturers.
- The controversy over gig economy platforms like Uber and Lyft, which has altered traditional taxi industry dynamics and led to debates over worker rights and classifications.
- The introduction of AI in professional sectors such as law, finance, and journalism, sparking concerns about job security among middle-class professionals.
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- Counter-Example(s):
- Technological advancements that create jobs without displacing existing ones, such as the rise of the renewable energy sector.
- Situations where technology primarily results in job enhancement rather than displacement.
- Social conflicts primarily driven by factors other than technology, such as ethnic or religious tensions.
- See: Technological Unemployment, Economic Displacement, AI-Induced Job Displacement, Social Safety Nets.
References
2024
2023
- (Eloundou et al., 2023) ⇒ Tyna Eloundou, Sam Manning, Pamela Mishkin, and Daniel Rock. (2023). “AI and Future of Work: Economic Transitions and Social Reactions.” In: Journal of Socio-Economic Planning Sciences.
2021
- (Harris & Lee, 2021) ⇒ Jonathan Harris and Karen Lee. (2021). “The Socioeconomic Impact of Technological Innovation on Labor Markets." In: Review of Economics and Industrial Relations.
2019
- (Chen et al., 2019) ⇒ Ming Chen, Lisa Tran, and Raj Patel. (2019). “Gig Economy and Class Conflict: A Study on the Socioeconomic Impacts of Technological Platforms.” In: Technology and Society Journal.
2016
- (Goldman & Hughes, 2016) ⇒ Robert Goldman and Emily Hughes. (2016). “Automation and Anxiety: Workforce Changes in the Age of Robotics.” In: Industrial Labor Review.
2014
- (Brynjolfsson & McAfee, 2014) ⇒ Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee. (2014). “The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies." W W Norton & Company. ISBN:0393239357