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Keynes's grandchildren and Marx's gig workers: Why human labour still matters

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  • Hamid R. EKBIA
  • Bonnie A. NARDI

Abstract

The current anxiety around the globe regarding automation and “the future of work”, the irrelevance of human labour and the superfluity of humans is based on recurring ideas about technology, work and economic value. Not quite novel, the debate on these ideas dates back to prominent thinkers, such as Karl Marx and John Maynard Keynes. To grasp the present moment, therefore, the authors revisit this debate within the broader history of capitalism. With a focus on labour and technology, they bring attention to the hidden forms of value creation in the current economy and to the blind spots of the historical debate, and envision various possible scenarios for the future.

Suggested Citation

  • Hamid R. EKBIA & Bonnie A. NARDI, 2019. "Keynes's grandchildren and Marx's gig workers: Why human labour still matters," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 158(4), pages 653-676, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:intlab:v:158:y:2019:i:4:p:653-676
    DOI: 10.1111/ilr.12146
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    References listed on IDEAS

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