Santens article eloquently discusses a recent report by David Autor of MIT on the history and future of work, highlighting realities that may not be common knowledge. For instance, low-income jobs have consistently grown throughout the past forty years, but there has been an erosion of middle-class, manufacturing jobs and a slowing of high-skilled, high-paying jobs. When academics claim technology creates jobs as much as it eliminates them, they often ignore the fact that these jobs often are low-quality work that leaves people worse off. Further, Santens cites the Oxford study that found that 47% of jobs are at high risk of automation in the next two decades. Those low-income jobs may shrivel up as well. Considering all of this information, Santens implores policy-makers to consider a basic income as a means to combat the future of technological unemployment.
Scott Santens, “Everything You Think You Know About The History and Future of Jobs Is Likely Wrong” 19 August 2015.
