Abstract:
This thesis will attempt to contribute to the process of identifying a “right path” to economic survival in a globalised market place very likely to be disrupted by automation and applied technology. It will focus on some of the practical actions and ethical implications for work and business posed by the digital revolution. It will argue that the most effective mechanism for earning and allocating wealth is the business enterprise operating in a well-regulated market place. It will also suggest that if a political community allows automation to proceed in a manner that shows no concern for the individuals whose lives are disrupted, and so further compounds already concerning levels of inequality, there is a very real risk of violent political upheaval. It will argue that, just as business has a moral responsibility for the consequences, intended and unintended, of its environmental and commercial actions, it also carries moral responsibility for the consequences of decisions that authorise the implementation of digital technology. Furthermore, it will lend support to the views of others who contend that the free market is a human invention and that competition is not the only motivation by which human relationships can be organised. From this it follows that the rules that govern markets must be recognised as being man-made and are therefore able to be changed to ensure that they are fit for purpose. That purpose is the use of technology to create a human economy that ensures the delivery of distributive justice, together with creative opportunities, and the on-going ability for as many people as possible to enjoy a ‘good life’.