Automation: benefits and challenges
The concern about job losses due to the increased use of machinery has been around for hundreds of years. With each new development, some have faced the prospect of their livelihood or quality of life being irreversibly altered.
What happened regarding socks in the 16th century
In the 16th century, work was entirely manual. Until a clergyman named William Lee came up with the idea to mechanise - at least in part - the production of stockings. He adapted looms used for making carpets to make a long sheet of sock material, which could then be cut and sewn into socks. It was much faster and cheaper than the traditional method.
There is a legend that Lee's request for a patent for his machine was turned down by Queen Elizabeth I, who was concerned about the welfare of former sock knitters who would be out of work.
At the time, Lee's machine had a limited impact on wider society, but it formed the basis for the development of other textile machines.
19th-century textile industry revolt
Hundreds of years later, English textile workers faced greater changes. And they weren't the only ones.
As the Industrial Revolution accelerated, people were moving from rural communities to new, fast-growing cities. There they found work in mills and factories, where steam-powered machines led to an unprecedented increase in the production of items previously made by hand by craftsmen.
Farm workers also faced the challenge of mechanisation. The growing population demanded more food, and this led to the adoption of machines to handle everything from sowing seeds to harvesting crops.
The reaction of workers was not uniformly positive. In the UK, a movement that became known as the Luddites reacted to the increased use of automation. They rioted, broke machines and even set fire to the homes of business owners.
20th-century car manufacturing
The use of robots in vehicle manufacturing became increasingly common in the latter part of the 20th century. Initially used to perform simple, repetitive tasks, they helped increase production, standardize production quality, and keep costs under control.
Assembly line tasks, such as welding and spray painting, were among the first tasks to be transferred from humans to robots. But humans were present to supervise the machines. As technology improved, the range of tasks passed to robots expanded to cover more complex processes, such as fixing windshields on vehicles. Robots are also widely used to move heavy and bulky objects around in factories.
Automation and the future
According to many estimates, more jobs will be created in the coming years than will be lost to automation.
The challenge facing world leaders and policymakers post COVID-19 will be to ensure that people are not overlooked in the rush to rebuild economies