This may only increase the size of the welfare class if all unskilled labor goes away because of automation
Very much so.
It's an inevitable shift, though. We've always had a surplus of labour, but in past there were growing markets, exports, and new frontiers to soak that up.
There are no frontiers now. No new markets that are not about to be exporters themselves.
Nothing to transition too.
Unless Elon gets to Mars soon, maybe.
It's time we accept that capitalism is unsustainable in times of universal surplus. When one man with machines can provide for hundreds, or thousands, 'work' in the traditional definition, becomes obsolete.
This is clear for low end jobs that are disappearing now.
But soon AI will be replacing accountants, engineers, and whatever it is that you do.
They will do it better, cheaper, and faster.
If history is any indicator, we will not do anything to prepare for this transition before hand, and only admit somethings wrong when it can no longer be denied.
and instead of providing reasonable support for the masses, the accumulated wealth might be hoarded by the few rich families in control.
leaving everyone else to starve, because why should unimportant people matter.
So, 11 robots have just been ordered. Anybody else want to be replaced?
So, it's a typical ordinary business that does the same thing all others do?
I am very sympathetic to low skilled workers who are going to be the first to be displaced from employment.
But this protest is only going to accelerate the loss of jobs, not slow it.
When minimum wage is more than the cost of robo-maintenance, human employees become a liability.