Automation and globalisation, coupled with excessive bonuses and exorbitant pay for entertainers and sportspeople, has created a divided society and that is only going to get worse. We have such inequality that it is creating hatred and hopelessness – not a good combination.
The workforce is no longer needed. Cheap labour can be exploited in the Third World at a fraction of the cost. Their work conditions and health and safety do not have to be of the highest standard.
Automation means that far less people are required. Even the army is best run through drones. War is automated.
We live in a consumer society where goods, services and entertainment is aggressively sold to us and we pay excessive amounts for the privilege.
The end result is that we have more extreme inequality. Society is divided into different bands:
- The super-rich
- The rich
- The doing OK
- The poor and struggling
- The down and outs
It used to be the case that through education and hard work you could rise up to being either rich or OK. That is no longer the case. Too many people are locked into struggling or going under through no fault of their own. The jobs are going.
The super-rich are becoming increasingly richer. The wealth is being channelled to the top end.
Now I believe that either something is done to address this or there will be great social unrest.
It has already resulted in both Trump and Brexit as exasperated people opt for populist fixes. When these fail, as they will, what next?
Riots? Civil unrest? Civil War? Who knows?
Only Opher has the answers!!