By: Calum McKeown, Student Voices writer
Man vs machine. It’s a debate discussed over the last decade
in an increasingly globalised world. Yet, according to a leading think-tank,
Britain is on course for a period of "radical change", in the wake of
the UK’s decision to leave the European Union.
Brexit…yes that term again; has already led to market
fluctuations with a weak UK pound, but now the Institute for Public Policy
Research (IPPR), has warned the country’s political and economic future looks
bleak with low growth and poor living standards throughout the 2020s.
So are we going into a new galaxy or back in time…that is
the question? One of the most striking features of the report claimed that some
15 million jobs are at risk with "improvements in new technologies".
In layman's terms: robots. But, as I sat watching my younger cousin on Boxing
Day wind up some mechanical robot toy it
struck me that this has always been and will be, (perhaps sooner than anticipated
though), the future.
The British government has over the last two months
reiterated its commitment to making Brexit "a success" and looks to
stay on track for Britain to become the fastest-growing major western economy.
2017, however, will mark the beginning of the unknown and perhaps as the report
states could be "the firing gun on a decade of disruption". It goes
on that the UK is likely to remain trapped in a low growth, low interest rate
decade driven by weak investment, weak labour power, high levels of debt, and
the headwinds of a slowing global economy. Three weeks past, the Bank of
England Governor, Mark Carney, made similar claims.
Claims and forecasts from experts and politicians have
fallen on deaf ears for the time being. Baroness Susan Kramer, Liberal Democrat
Treasury spokesperson, said the report's Brexit warning was a "devastating
indictment of the Conservative Government. In the face of huge global
challenges, the Conservative response is to haul up the drawbridge". Those
who voted Leave relish the thought of "taking back control"; taking
the country back to the golden ages of industry, manufacturing, full
employment. This is a long way away from 2017. The report noted that while work
for humans would not end, "jobs would become less secure and more
freelance". 15 million people, even more, could soon find themselves with
no job, five jobs or not having a job during their lifetime. For politicians,
they may soon find themselves with no other alternative but to radically reform
our political and social system as we accelerate towards infinity and beyond!
References:
Sci-Fi coming soon...and it's because of Brexit!
Reviewed by Student Voices
on
16:24
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Reviewed by Student Voices
on
16:24
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