Can Massive Technological Progress Hurt Workers? A Review of Power and Progress by Daron Acemoglu and Simon Johnson

Fiona Scott Morton

Journal of Economic Literature, 2024, vol. 62, issue 4, 1671-81

Abstract: This book offers a radical thesis: Technological innovation often benefits elites while worsening conditions for workers, challenging the common view that technology always improves living standards. Through historical transitions like the Industrial Revolution, the authors illustrate how innovations have frequently led to worker exploitation. They argue that governance, rather than competition, determines whether technological advances benefit society. In the digital age, platforms exploit user data without fair compensation, causing harm through addictive services and poor regulation. The book calls for stronger regulations to protect consumers and ensure that innovation aligns with societal well-being, especially as artificial intelligence spreads.

JEL-codes: D72 J80 N30 N40 N70 O31 O33 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.aeaweb.org/doi/10.1257/jel.20241761 (application/pdf)
https://www.aeaweb.org/doi/10.1257/jel.20241761.ds (application/zip)
Access to full text is restricted to AEA members and institutional subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aea:jeclit:v:62:y:2024:i:4:p:1671-81

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.aeaweb.org/journals/subscriptions

DOI: 10.1257/jel.20241761

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Economic Literature is currently edited by Steven Durlauf

More articles in Journal of Economic Literature from American Economic Association Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Michael P. Albert ().