Genuine question - what happens to the workers who get replaced? I know in Western countries, we'd all be left jobless (leading to a crisis in capitalism). But even with this high a rate of replacement, it doesn't seem like China's going through an unemployment crisis or that the masses are resentful of the jobs they are losing. So something must be different. For a while I can imagine the workers fired from one plant can go to another, but given this has been a priority for the govt. for close to a decade at this point, there has to be something more substantial being done for the people. Are they in mass moving into the service sector? That cannot be sustainable solution. And I can't imagine agriculture itself isn't being automated either, if some are moving back to the villages. Others might move to higher-tier manufacturing that isn't replaced as of yet...but none of these feel like the solution. I'm just reminded of the fact that machines cannot produce value, only human labor can, and am just left wondering what's happening.
My understanding is that currently the focus is on retraining the workers for higher skilled jobs, and China does have a declining population, so a lot of the automation will be replacing workers who are retiring. So, I don't think China is quite at the point where automation actually taking jobs away that people want.
However, once China reaches the point where a lot of the need for labor is eliminated, we'll get to see if China really is willing to embrace communism. If the answer is yes, then work could become an entirely voluntary endeavour. Everyone could be provided with universal basic services such as housing, food, healthcare, and education, and then people can just choose to spend their time any way they like.
China has managed not to destroy pre capitalist forms of community as completely as earlier capitalist construction did in the West. So this might be fairly easy, as people have clear social roles and responsibilities not tied to production
Indeed, the degree of atomization of society in the west is frankly incredible. I saw studies showing how most people barely even have friends anymore, let alone feeling as a part of any sort of a community.
Maybe systematic retraining and programs to help people find new work dwarfing those in the west? I'd be interested to know the specific answer to your question though.
Genuine question - what happens to the workers who get replaced? I know in Western countries, we'd all be left jobless (leading to a crisis in capitalism). But even with this high a rate of replacement, it doesn't seem like China's going through an unemployment crisis or that the masses are resentful of the jobs they are losing. So something must be different. For a while I can imagine the workers fired from one plant can go to another, but given this has been a priority for the govt. for close to a decade at this point, there has to be something more substantial being done for the people. Are they in mass moving into the service sector? That cannot be sustainable solution. And I can't imagine agriculture itself isn't being automated either, if some are moving back to the villages. Others might move to higher-tier manufacturing that isn't replaced as of yet...but none of these feel like the solution. I'm just reminded of the fact that machines cannot produce value, only human labor can, and am just left wondering what's happening.
My understanding is that currently the focus is on retraining the workers for higher skilled jobs, and China does have a declining population, so a lot of the automation will be replacing workers who are retiring. So, I don't think China is quite at the point where automation actually taking jobs away that people want.
However, once China reaches the point where a lot of the need for labor is eliminated, we'll get to see if China really is willing to embrace communism. If the answer is yes, then work could become an entirely voluntary endeavour. Everyone could be provided with universal basic services such as housing, food, healthcare, and education, and then people can just choose to spend their time any way they like.
24/7 rave
China has managed not to destroy pre capitalist forms of community as completely as earlier capitalist construction did in the West. So this might be fairly easy, as people have clear social roles and responsibilities not tied to production
Indeed, the degree of atomization of society in the west is frankly incredible. I saw studies showing how most people barely even have friends anymore, let alone feeling as a part of any sort of a community.
They are being sent to concentration camps sadly 😔
straight to the c*m milking factories, they tried to warn us but the world didn't listen
I think their industry is growing so fast the robots probably haven't displaced much if any labor.
Maybe systematic retraining and programs to help people find new work dwarfing those in the west? I'd be interested to know the specific answer to your question though.