Articles

Labour-Saving Technologies and Social and Economic Development in the Twenty First Century

Vostok/Oriens '2015, №1

 
Currently labour-saving technologies are becoming an important factor in social and economic development of many nations in the world. During many centuries economic growth was based on labour development. In the last several decades we are witnessing international competition between qualified but expensive Western labour and cheap but low qualified labour in developing economies. Low-cost labour now wins in many positions but labour-saving technologies start changing global trends. Labour-saving technologies are developing in agriculture, mining, manufacturing, and services. Labour-saving technologies may bring positive effects to social and economic development of developed countries and also China where population aging walks hand by hand with intensive robotics development. For developing economies labour-saving technologies may be a threat as they reduce demand for low qualified labour globally.

Keywords: labour-saving technologies, labour force, robots, social and economic development, developed economies, developing economies

Pages: С. 87–96