RT Journal Article
T1 Labor in the age of automation: revisiting the 30-year debate on the 'end of work' prophecy
A1 Aliende Povedano, Ignacio
A1 Franco, Luis
AB This systematic review revisits the 30-year debate on Jeremy Rifkin's 'end of work' prophecy, which predicted that technological progress would reduce human labor demand, causing unemployment and social crises. We examine key contributions in the economic literature since 1995, focusing on arguments and evidence for and against Rifkin's thesis as well as proposed policies and indicators for monitoring economic transitions. The review reveals nuanced views on the response to technological level and automation on employment demand, with some studies suggesting that new tasks can foster employment levels, whereas others emphasise the need for public policies to balance the job landscape. Education and reskilling policies are the most recurrent proposals to support workers in adapting to evolving labor market supply. The study proposes a group of indicators for monitoring economic transformations driven by technological advancements, including employment trends by sector, wage growth, job quality, income distribution, and pace of technology adoption. In addition, this study advocates broader national and regional analyses and updates to theoretical frameworks explaining labor market dynamics. Future research should expand the scope of the analysis and develop robust monitoring systems to assess the multifaceted effects of automation on the economy and society.
PB Universidad de Almería
SN 1133-3197
YR 2025
FD 2025-05
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/121580
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/121580
LA eng
NO Aliende, I., & Franco, L. (2024). Labor in the Age of Automation: Revisiting the 30-Year Debate on the'End of Work'Prophecy. Studies of Applied Economics, 43(2). https://doi.org/10.25115/m79emz80
DS Docta Complutense
RD 19 may 2026