Postscript : COVID-19 and the fourth industrial revolution / Trevor Ngwane. Why does the Davos World Economic Forum proclaim the second phase of a post-1970s third capitalist industrial revolution as the '4IR'? / David Cooper -- The fourth industrial revolution : a theoretical critique of the discourse / Mokong S. Mapadimeng -- Long-run global perspective on evolution, revolution and innovation in South Africa's development / Rasigan Maharajh -- Botched technological revolution and the South African proletariat / Mondli Hlatswayo -- The new 'Arcadia'? Racial capitalism, technological histories and the utopian future of labour / Bridget Kenny -- Fourth industrial revolution challenges to labour : COSATU's perspective / Zingiswa Losi -- Postscript : COVID-19 and the fourth industrial revolution / Trevor Ngwane.
Summary:
"One of the chief concerns regarding the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies is that they are owned and monopolised by advanced capitalist countries. Both between countries and within countries we find 'the digital divide'. Most of humanity, having little or no access to widespread means of communication and access to information via the internet, will not benefit from the 4IR. The promotion and adoption of these technologies without a plan to address this will lead to a more unequal world. The talk about people changing careers or learning new skills in the face of technologically driven job losses does not consider the differential skills and potentialities among people. Importantly, countries are told to do everything in their power not to be left behind by the 4IR. They are told that they must adopt these technologies come what may, without properly assessing country-specific and class-specific implications, threats and needs. Is there any guarantee that agreeing to and adoption of the Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies by, say, African countries, will not have the same result - leaving them exploited and dominated by those who wield and own the new technologies?
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