SOSC 1140 Lecture Notes - Lecture 40: Social Economy, Labour Power, Scientific Management
27 Apr 2020
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Document Summary
The shift towards a capitalistic society involved the transition from the natural to the unnatural. Throughout history, men have relied on the land for survival. In the present age, all our natural resources have been transformed into machine power and implemented as part of the strategy to make profit. The rise of technology has seized the last natural element we have the human mind. Rifkin explains how technology proves to be somewhat of a double-edge sword and describes some of its consequences as well as its possible solutions. The labor market is at greatest risk of disruption where advances in automation threaten to replace workers on an unprecedented scale (1995). Technology has facilitated scientific management, allowing for work to be completed faster and with fewer workers. However, this results in a displacement of workers and vast unemployment. This unemployment has also resulted in increased levels of crime, homelessness, lack of proper healthcare as well as hunger and malnourishment (rifkin, 1995).
