A jobs apocalypse has begun in the West as automation takes over. How long will it be before it arrives in India?
ON A MAY trip to Paris and the San Francisco Bay Area, one of the things that startled me is the virtual extinction of various categories of jobs. Technology could well be the culprit, although I read somewhere that only a single official job classification has explicitly disappeared in the US in the last 60 years: elevator (lift) operator. But what I observed was that there is an accelerated pace at which some formerly ubiquitous jobs are disappearing. Perhaps the same will happen in India, too.
I discussed this with a banker, chairman of a large private bank, and he was sanguine: he pointed out that in past cycles of job disappearance, other positions opened up to compensate. If bank teller jobs have been decimated by the appearance of ATMs and internet banking, he pointed out that the proliferation of TV channels had created vast numbers of new positions. Implicit in his statement was the assumption that people could be re-trained and re-purposed.
That assumption may not be valid: often, even if the total number of jobs increases, a significant proportion of those who lost their positions are unable to find new jobs that are more or less comparable to their old ones. Skills are often not transferable; or they may be forced to take up jobs that pay significantly less. That was the experience of manufacturing workers in the US when factory jobs disappeared: many ended up being forced to take up much worse service jobs, for instance slinging hamburgers in fast food joints.
This story is from the July 2017 edition of Swarajya Mag.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 2017 edition of Swarajya Mag.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The Hesitant Orbit
In order to march boldly ahead into the deep space, New Delhi must work towards building a station, boost its techno-economic planning and use the Indian Space Research Organisation smartly.
Nudges And Narratives
The debate surrounding Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati brings India a complex network of portraits within a cultural world-system.
The Spell Of Specialisation
THE INDIAN ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE NEEDS AN URGENT REJIG. THE KEY TO SPEED AND EFFICIENCY LIES IN PUTTING AN END TO A GENERALIST APPROACH AND IN GOING FOR A NEW SERVICE.
The Great Gamble
With demonetisation, the prime minister has taken a huge risk— both economic and political. He must succeed, because this move could transform both our economy and our society.
The Lies And The Truth
The government must be bold enough to up-end the activists who are coming in the way of the nation’s agricultural progress.
Figuring Out China
China’s economic footprint is being followed by its military footprint. To know that is not be belligerent but to prepare oneself adequately.
Management 108
The Upanishads Have A Lot To Teach Today’s Executives When Outcomes Are Unpredictable, Relationships Complex, And Change Is The Name Of The Game.
Sunny Days Ahead
THE NEW GUIDELINES FOR TAXI SERVICES ARE SENSIBLE, RATIONAL, AND MORE THAN WELCOME.
The Cultural World-System
Despite much talk of “soft power”, the fact is that whichever way you slice it, Indian culture fares poorly at seeking or exercising it
The Hard Way Forward
India has been focused on software, but there are large opportunities to be seized in hardware. A primer, and some busting of myths.