The debate over the impact of automation on employment has been raging fiercely in the last several years, as advances in artificial intelligence and robotics have been making some science fiction-esque scenarios look more plausible, and technology-enabled services like Uber have been upending conventional labor models. But when do you think people first started debating this issue? Some would point to the early Industrial Revolution, and in particular the Luddite protests of the early 19 th century. While
In this age of rapid technology-driven change, it is interesting to read history and see how much in human affairs actually stays constant over the centuries. There are a number of socioeconomic trends that many believe are unique to our modern era, but which were in fact also prevalent in pre-industrial times. It is also interesting to parse out the things that truly have changed over time – the genuine fundamental shifts in human affairs.
Some months ago I read Carlo Cipolla’s Before the Industrial Revolution: European Society and Economy 1000 – 1700 . The book is a very interesting and enjoyable read on European economic history that never feels dry despite being a true scholarly work full of hard facts and figures. Given how wrapped up I am in the technology industry, I couldn’t help but read this book with a particular eye toward technological change, and a desire to understand society’s relationship with technology prior to the critical