Sen. Obama cited new economic forces to explain what appears like a return to an older-style big-government Democratic platform skeptical of market forces. “Globalization and technology and automation all weaken the position of workers,” he said, and a strong government hand is needed to assure that wealth is distributed more equitably. He spoke aboard his campaign bus, where a big-screen TV was tuned to the final holes of the U.S. Open golf tournament.
Good thing that globalization, technology, and automation had no role in the creation of that big-screen TV on his bus.
Indeed, globalization does weaken the position of a worker who works for a company that has no interest in exporting its goods to a foreign market. Globalization is indeed harmful to the interests of workers and companies who believe that Americans should be barred, or strongly hindered, from buying goods made overseas. Globalization is harmful to workers who don’t want to work for foreign automakers whose plants are based in places like Marysville, Ohio and Tupelo, Mississippi.
Technology weakens the position of a worker who makes buggy whips, rotary phones (no, wait, they can still make kitschy versions for Restoration Hardware), and the Edsel.
Technology like iTunes weakened the position of Tower Records. Much better that consumers be forced to buy the whole CD for $16.99 instead of buying only the songs they want.
Automation weakens the position of bank tellers, but not ATM repairmen. Automation has been brutal for the folks who make library card catalog notecards. Cellular phones and Blackberries have been terrible for those trained to install and fix public phones.
Comments