Economy and Technology Part - 2
Contents
- Introduction
- Social Aspects of Technological Development
- Industrial Corporations
- Theses of Karl Marx and Max Weber
- Emergence of Affluent Workers
- Alienation of Modem Workers
- Modem Technology and Work Relationships
- Machines and Production
- Job Creation .
- Technology and Unionism
- Summary
Introduction
In Economy and Technology Part - 1 we learned about the relation between economy, technology and society and the technological development in simple societies, pastoral societies, peasant agricultural societies and urban industrial societies. In this post A number of other economic topics, including the industrial revolution, will also be covered. This will include civilizations with advanced industries. The function of economics and technology in modern societies with industrially developed economies.Social Aspects of Technological Development
In western civilizations, the individual is valued and their rights are upheld by social values and norms, but in Japan, the "individual" is viewed as subordinate to society. Like large communities, the Japanese industrial corporation functions. A corporation is a significant business entity that employs a sizable workforce. Additionally, it has a sizable output. A person who joins a company stays with that company for the duration of their working career. Wages and salaries are paid in accordance with the seniority of the employee in question, not necessarily with regard to his qualifications. The workforce reviews and approves the company's production plans in advance. After the plans are approved, it is everyone's responsibility to do everything possible to meet the production goals. Workers and managers form a tight-knit and productive unit thanks to a strong sense of corporate solidarity. The U.S. pales in comparison to Japan. S. A. has not demonstrated any industrial dynamism recently. One argument is that U.S. culture is very individualistic. S. A. now prevents gaining an advantage in the industrial competition. It is extremely risky to invest in research and development, especially in fields involving cutting-edge technology. If everyone agrees to the unspoken understanding that they will work together for a long time, even if it means that some people have to pass up lucrative opportunities to profit, then such an investment becomes worthwhile.
Industrial Corporations
As a result, those who work on creating a new product or design may acquire very useful experience as well as discover novel work practices. For example, during the course of their work, they might discover a method for reducing the proportion of defective casting made of certain rare alloys. After gaining this experience, other industrial corporations are likely to waive their hiring requirements in exchange for a sizable payoff if they want to switch jobs. The entire investment made in developing the new technology could be wasted if the employees accept such alluring offers. The ferocious individualism of American society, it is contended, protects those who leave the corporation more than those who stay. As a result, businesses and individuals are expected to be reluctant to engage in research and development projects that require significant upfront costs.
The U.S. and Japan are contrasted. S. A. demonstrates that in the U. S. A. The very institutions that fostered individualism there and, in turn, supported that nation's technological and industrial development in a previous era may now be preventing it from achieving industrial leadership in many spheres. Due to U.S. involvement, this is even more intriguing. S. A. remains the world leader in terms of fundamental scientific and technological research. This demonstrates that it is crucial to ensure that these studies are converted into successful production endeavors in addition to fostering the advancement of modern science and technology.
Theses of Karl Marx and Max Weber
Both Marx's and Weber's perspectives can be used to interpret the evidence that is currently available regarding technological development in the discussion above. Here, it is crucial to remember that Weber's theories about the Protestant Ethic and its contribution to the development of capitalism were unique to a particular era in European history. However, Weber's thesis has been used to explain development in Japan and other developing nations. Such a demonstration entails identifying the religious beliefs of entrepreneurial communities and demonstrating how similar they are to the Protestant Ethic. Such analyses have been done regarding the technological and industrial advancement of Japan as well as a number of entrepreneurial communities around the world. Some of these studies, particularly the more significant ones, have influenced the modernization theories that will be covered later.
It is asserted that an accurate evaluation of Marx's theories should put his predictions about the course of capitalism to the test. This would logically lead to a discussion of the social effects of technology and industrial production.
Emergence of Affluent Workers
Marx's predictions have not come true, is a common criticism leveled at him by his detractors. The industrially developed nations of the world, including the U., see capitalism flourishing with what appears to be greater strength than ever. S. A. USA, Japan. K. as well as other West European nations. The working class appears to have accepted the capitalist system of production rather than sparking a revolution. This is a result of the industrial workers' living standards in these nations steadily rising. The workers are allegedly less interested in joining trade unions to advocate for their interests because they are receiving a better deal. The study on The Affluent Workers in The Class Structure, conducted in England in the 1970s by Goldthorpe, Lockwood, and others to examine the embourgeoisement hypothesis, is reported as one of the more important research efforts supporting this thesis. According to this study, the wealthy employee only sees his factory as a means of subsistence. He does not feel a sense of pride in being a part of his factory. He does not grow close or feel a sense of comradery with his coworkers. He no longer feels like he has an identity or a purpose in life because of his work. In his pastimes, he looks for his identity. Going home to see his family and close friends is something he looks forward to doing. He maintains a strict sense of privacy and leads a very private life. He remains a union member, but he takes a back seat to other members in the organization's affairs. His view of the union is that it is merely a tool for obtaining higher pay. As a result, the worker is becoming a passive acceptor of the system and is only concerned with using it to his advantage to improve his own lot in life, as opposed to becoming an active agent of social transformations. All of this data appears to specifically refute Marx's assertions regarding the place of the working class in capitalist societies.
Alienation of Modern Workers
Actually, some of the most influential Marxist thinkers had predicted this shift in the attitudes of the workers even before the study on affluent workers provided concrete evidence of it. Marxist theorist Marcuse, who had enormous influence, observed in the 1960s that even workers in modern society have become incredibly estranged and alienated. Their individuality has been stolen by industrialization, which has also dulled their senses. A human extension of the machine, the worker. The modern worker lives such a mechanical life that he or she does not even desire freedom from this slavery, just as a slave who has never tasted freedom cannot comprehend what freedom is. Because of this, Marcuse believed that college students who have not yet become spoiled by modern society could be the ones to start a revolution.
Modem Technology and Work Relationships
It's critical to comprehend the differences between using a machine and a hand tool if we're to comprehend the nature of modem technology. When a worker uses a hand tool, he sets the pace of the job. This tool is taken out of the worker's hands and fixed in a machine, even the most basic of them. Unlike the tool held in a human hand, which can be moved in a variety of directions, it can only be moved in one direction. After the tool has been secured in this way, the worker must now adapt his rate of production to the machine rather than the other way around. However, since a machine does not tire from repeated movements like a human hand does, it has the advantage of being able to identify more work and produce more items than a person.
When a lot of products need to be produced, a machine is used. Consider the situation of a cobbler who makes shoes. If he only needs to make a single pair of leather shoes, he will cut the leather into a number of pieces that will fit the shape and size of the foot that the shoe is being made for. He will then stack the pieces on top of one another and sew along the edge to create the sole. The upper of the shoe is then formed by cutting a sizable piece of leather, which is then stitched to the sole. He then makes the shoe's heel out of leather once more and fastens it to the sole with nails. The shoe is then colored and polished after that. After creating one shoe, he can create another by repeating the aforementioned steps. But if he needs to make a lot of shoes, it makes sense for him to cut all the soles first, then all the uppers, make the soles, then sew all the uppers to the soles, and so on. He might find it advantageous to create specialized tools and equipment now to carry out the various operations. Utilizing uniform shoe sizes and cutting shoe uppers and soles from uniform patterns pays off. If he can use specialized sewing machines, it will help with the stitching. The work will be expedited and more shoes will be produced with the use of specialized machinery. Additionally, it will be beneficial to hire more personnel and assign each to a specialized task. The use of machines helps to facilitate this kind of division of labor into distinct operations.
Machines and Production
Once machines are used in the manufacturing process, a trend is started that gradually intensifies. The machine initially removes the tool from the worker's hands and forces him to modify his own movements to match the machine's rhythm. The worker's skills and tools are gradually taken away by the machine. In recent years, using computerized equipment has made this easier. For instance, a computer can now complete a task more accurately than even the most skilled machinist. After the lathe receives the job specifications, the computer itself instructs the lathe, controlling the entire work process. An unskilled or semi-skilled employee who only needs to read a panel and press a few buttons mounted on it can take the place of the machinist. It's true that operating a lathe or instructing a computer requires high levels of skill, and both the systems analysts who do that and the engineers who make sure the machines run without a hitch are well-paid employees. But if the factory's owner hires just a few of these highly skilled workers, he can do without several machinists and hire just a few semi-skilled workers at extremely low pay. Even in office work, this trend is evident. For instance, computerization has made routine tasks like keeping track of phone calls, keeping a diary, and reminding the manager of his appointments, tasks that can be completed without a secretary's assistance. Similarly, using word processors has made it easier to write letters, which can now be completed by a regular typist. Thus, the secretary's skill is divided into tasks that can now be completed by machines and less experienced workers. De-skilling is being done in this manner. Modern technology is accelerating this trend of job de-skilling.
Job Creation
Modem technology's effect on job growth is a hotly debated subject. Some people believe that the new jobs that modem machines are generating will more than make up for the jobs they are displacing, but it is undeniably true that these machines are rapidly rendering skills obsolete, which poses adjustment issues for those who are affected. Two classes of workers are emerging in contemporary society. On the one hand, a sizable majority of the workforce is becoming less skilled, while on the other, a tiny minority is monopolizing the majority of skills. A typical modern industrial plant has already evolved into a place where only a small number of employees are employed. In these circumstances, protests will come from employees who have been fired from their jobs or whose jobs have become less skilled because the management of the company can afford to pay them high enough wages to keep them satisfied and can ensure that there is no militant trade union activity. These protests, however, are equally pointless as those mounted by carriage drivers against modern buses or trains.
Technology and Unionism
Modern technology is not only making workers redundant, but it is also weakening their ability to stand up for one another as a group. The unsuccessful conclusion of the coal mine workers strike in England from 1984 to 1985 is a sign of the working class's relative frailty. Despite a protracted strike, the English mining industry eventually had to submit to the government's decision to rationalize mining in order to boost productivity. Utilizing modem technology extensively is referred to as rationalization. The English mine workers, who were renowned up until recently for upholding the tradition of working class culture and for retaining their autonomy in the workplace, were powerless to fend off the introduction of computerized machinery, which has de-skilled their work. Because the government successfully argued that rationalizing mining would increase productivity, these industrial workers were unable to win support from the public for their actions. The entire nation would prosper as a result. Instead of adopting an assertive and combative stance that is associated with trade union struggles, the working class has been forced to take a defensive stance.
Some indirect evidence that suggests that modem technology is altering working class consciousness comes from Japan. According to a recent study on the effects of modern technology, Japanese workers now spend more time away from their wives and have further tethered them to the house thanks to modern televisions and household appliances. The fact that their wives can pass the time by watching television means that the workers no longer feel the need to return home. Modern technology appears to have reinforced traditional views of women rather than emancipating them.
Some argue that the dominant capitalist production system in the advanced industrial nations is to blame for the workers' helplessness and the general trend toward conservatism. According to them, modern technology can cut down on the number of hours each employee must work. A different system of production would allow all workers to have more free time and ensure that everyone receives a decent wage so they can pursue their creative interests in their free time without fear of losing their jobs. A fair distribution of wealth is reportedly impossible under the capitalist system, and it is impossible to stop the tendency to increase unemployment. In contrast, those who support capitalism point out that in socialist countries, the lack of a free market and the lack of a profit incentive caused the production system to degrade, resulting in constant shortages. It was argued that socialist systems were successful in redistributing poverty. These critics also note that the recent policies of China that have opened up opportunities for private enterprise show the validity of their claims.
Summary
The connection between economy and technology has been covered in Economy and Technology Part - 1 and 2. Simple pastoral societies and peasant agricultural societies were studied in terms of how technology developed. Here, we've discussed the different technologies created throughout the course of the industrial revolution. The impact of modem technology on the economy and society has been clearly demonstrated in this unit. Workers' positions have been weakened by modern technology, which has a negative impact on them and makes them feel estranged and alienated. In addition, it makes the promise of bringing about a world of abundance. Of course, this promise entails the possibility of depriving the workers of their abilities and their capacity for revolution. Instead of modernizing societies, modern technology is subtly bolstering the forces of conservatism, alienating people from one another and bringing about new social psychological issues that affect society's ability to adjust, such as depression, stress, and mental tension. However, it is clear that there is a predisposition for the working class and the poor to become a helpless and dependent class.
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