The original Zero Work
Theory (ZWT), under a long title: “An ALTERNATIVE to Marxian Scientific
Socialism – The Theory Reduction in Working Hours - A Demand 6 Hour Working
Day”; was published in the year 1981. The objective was, to
present an alternative to Marxian Socialism or Communism. It claims that the
world working class movement needs a new theory because the Marxian Socialism/Communism
utterly failed them as it completely ignores THE FOUR FUNDAMENTAL ASPECTS OF
LABOR EXPLOITATION on the working population, which wreak havoc in their
everyday life, including the underemployment and unemployment. Moreover,
Marxism could not foresee the rapid development of science and technologies of
the future especially the exponential growth in the field of Artificial
Intelligent (AI) ROBOTS automation that going to replace most human labor, the
development of the “productive forces” or the labor productivity will be making
it. He could not envisage that the great progress in the “productive forces” or
in the labor productivity could make the human labor or his favourite working
class all redundant or obsolete within a couple of centuries.
Having the opportunity to
access this historical perspective in the 1980’s, this theory foresaw that the
historical mission of the laboring class" is to gradually reduce the
working hours in the day step by step, when it finally reduced to zero, there
will be no more need of human wage-labor in the social production therefore,
the society requires new system to distribute the economic income. That is why
my theory at this point also professes that every citizen of the world must
receive a Guaranteed, Adequate Universal Basic Income in order to lead a healthy, comfortable,
secure life. Thereby, the historic compulsion of the labor servitude on the
majority laboring population to obtain their basic needs, in the form of wages,
salary will be completely abolished. My revised name for this theory is
"Zero Work Theory" (ZWT).
Why does the
Zero Work Theory want to abolish paid (wage) labor?
According to the theory, “The basic relationship of
workers to their LABOR” comes from the COMPULSION" in order to obtain the
“means of subsistence”, in the form of food, shelter, clothing, health,
education, comforts etc. Humans MUST work, it is not a choice but a necessity. The
need to work originally imposes by nature on humans which then allows a strong
minority of the population to exploit (oppress, subjugate etc.) the weaker
majority of the population to work for them due to various reasons, mainly the
private property. It enables the powerful, to obtain a portion of the products
or “value” of the majority’s labor and become rich. This is the root-cause of
most social injustice: poverty, crime, etc. Therefore, as the labor productivity
rises and the NEED for labor decreases, the society as a whole should engage in
a step-by-step reduction in work hours to continually re-balance the labor
value distribution to prevent the widening the income gap between the “haves”
and the “have-nots”. It should all finally end into the Zero Working
Day. It is the REAL FREEDOM or liberation for the entire human race from
its historical compulsion, adversity; the drudgery of the Wage- Labor servitude.
The complete elimination of the last remnant of historical human labor bondage
or SLAVERY. Thereby, to establish a truly Democratic, humanitarian and
equitable socio-economic system.
Why ZWT consider Labor as "COMPULSION"? Aren't the workers free to make their own choices?
It is true that the workers are free
to do labor but they are not “really” free, NOT TO DO IT. Otherwise, they
will be deprived of their income. Without the basic income one can’t afford
their needs, wants, decent food, clothing, shelter, health, education and other
comforts in life. They will be forced to undergo immense suffering, starvation,
homelessness, left to die or reduced to BEGGING. One may call it as a “free
choice” but I consider it as the most degrading kind of labor (job,
profession?) next to prostitution, which existed since the dawn of human
species. Therefore, like the human labor, if the prostitution and begging forced
genuinely by their economic conditions, it can be completely eliminated with an
Adequate UNCONDITIONAL Basic Income Guaranty, popularly known as the Universal
Basic Income (UBI) which I see as the early manifestation of the ZWT.
The fundamental
difference between the ZWT "Wage-Labor Exploitation" and Marxian
“Working Class Exploitation”
According to the ZWT,
throughout the human history, till the present day, humankind has undergone
four basic labor exploitation. 1. Subsistence Sustenance Exploitation 2.
Relative Labor Exploitation 3. Productive Labor Exploitation 4. Absolute
Labor Exploitation (the book explains, each of it in details). These
exploitations are, primarily responsible for most of the social injustice,
inequality, poverty, repression which exists both in the capitalist and
socialist systems in the world today. The concept of "Labor
Exploitation" in Zero Work Theory is fundamentally different from Marxian
socialist concept of ruling (capitalist) class exploitation of working class, founded
on the “Private Means of Production”.
Marxism claims that LABOR-EXPLOITATION
exists mainly due to the social "class" system, which results in the
constant "class struggle" between the minority ruling
"capitalist class" and the majority working class. It classifies
the human history so far, into three main social systems: 1.Slavery,
2.Feudalism, 3.Capitalism. In all these three systems the “property owning” minority
rich class primarily exists on the labor exploitation of the poor majority
class. Therefore, Marxism claims that the private ownership of wealth or property
is the fundamental reason of the exploitation on the working class, which is
responsible for all kinds of social evils like injustice, inequality, poverty,
repression, crimes which exists in the human society. Therefore, it proclaims
that there is a 4th system namely the socialist or communist system which will
abolish the labor exploitation mainly by the ABOLITION of the private
ownership of the means of production, commonly known as the Private Property.
Marxist fundamentally claim
that the human society will have social, economic and political equality if it
abolishes the “private ownership of means of production”, which in turn will
abolish labor exploitation of the working class, thereby ushering in a
"classless" communist society. But today, all of it have been proven
completely wrong. Another Marxist basic concept, that only human labor creates
value and wealth in society also proving to be absolutely wrong as the
Artificial intelligence robotic automation making the human labor redundant.
One of Marx's most famous quotes is, "From each according to his ability,
to each according to his needs." This means that you need to labor
according to your capacity, and then society provides everyone with everything
they will need. It is like the science fiction movies we see today, where all
of the humans in the future still engaged in labor, despite the high tech world
they live in.
ZWT agrees with the main
Marxist theory that the capitalist basically exploit the labor of workers in
the form of Relative Labor Exploitation. Nevertheless, it thoroughly
denounces Marxism for failing to recognize the rest of the labor exploitation,
which makes it unable to address the labor exploitation on the underemployed, unemployed
and self-employed. Moreover, ZWT does not accept that the abolition of “private
property" will end any of the Labor Exploitation in the society.
Irrespective of whoever runs/manages the means of production (factories,
industries, companies, business, corporation etc.) as long as the compulsion of
labor exist for workers to earn their livelihood exists and the entire chain of
labor exploitation will continue. Only the overall reduction in working hours
will reduce labor exploitation. A two-pronged approach can achieve this goal,
first by directly reducing working hours, and secondly (and most importantly),
allowing a significant number of people (especially the unemployed) to quit their
labor or jobs by opting for the Zero Work with the support of an adequate
Universal Basic Income.
How does the ZWT view the new generation of AI ROBOTS?
Robots are basically the descendants
of the tools used by primitive humans as an extension of their body parts to
perform functions that increase the productivity of their labor. We have now
achieved such a high degree of technological sophistication that the robots can
(or soon will) SUBSTITUTE nearly any function of the human body, including our cognitive
BRAIN function.
As per the ZWT, at
the early human historical developmental stages, the primitive man made
tools (knives, scrapers, hammers) that substituted the human body functions,
was an extension of their hands and legs etc., to improve the labor
productivity. The second stage was centred around the industrial revolution of
the 18th century. Human/animal muscle power was replaced by steam engines and
later by the gigantic electric power. These powered tools or machinery,
tremendously increased labor productivity but it always needed the human brain
intelligent power in the loop to make them to perform the work.
By the second half of the
20th century, we entered the third stage of labor productivity. The silicon
integrated-circuit microchip the cybernetic revolution. Calculators, software
programmed computers and the sophisticated AI machine/deep learning robot
automation. It can replace most of the functions of human brain cognitive power,
intelligence. These sophisticated humanoid robots can do most of the jobs that humans
perform, making most of the human wage-labor completely redundant.
Today, the new autonomous AI
machines, incorporated with DEEP/MACHINE-LEARNING (self-programming software,
algorithms of various types), in combination with web-based cloud sharing, can
already do things that are beyond any human capacity and with every generation
of software will become faster and better, superior to human intelligence in
many significant ways. The emerging QUANTUM computers can bring in new paradigm
shift in the field, in the very near future; say in 10 to 20 years, it will
completely remove most of the needs of the human labor in the manufacturing and
most importantly in the service sector like it happened in the agricultural
sector. Even the professional jobs like doctors, lawyers even judges can be efficiently
replaced by the AI robots Therefore, a gradual reduction or even a complete end
to working hours (zero work) with the empowering UBI will become a necessity
for human society. This is the historical perspective of the ZW Theory, in
contrast to Marxist Historical Materialism, which I described earlier.
How did readers respond to your book when it published?
Except for one or two
positive book reviews in the popular Kannada News Papers in 1981 (which still
remain popular today), there was not much response. I think my book failed to
get the "response" it needed, to become a book that made political
changes, because of my situation of that time.
Why my Reduction in Working Hour (RWH) theory book failed to get the response that needed?
Imagine some unknown young
guy with no academic background or any credentials, proposing this theory of
Zero Work with Basic Income Guaranty in 1981 as an alternative to Marxian
Socialism. No one will believe it would be possible; even today for many
people. No sensible publisher at that time would even look at it. It had to be
self-published by my small workers group. We tried to distribute it to
well-known academics, but outside our group no one was interested. With
hindsight, I see that I was the wrong person to deliver this message, I was
underprivileged and disadvantaged, (a description that still applies). I wanted
to achieve an impossible task, exposing a fundamental flaw in Marxism, a
philosophy followed by hundreds of millions of people and for a century. No
matter what I did, I would never convince the world socialist/communist
leadership (who, in India, are leaders of most organized workers) to abandon
their socialist revolution ideology for my reduction in working hours demand.
If no one would listen to me, I had to wait for history to prove which theory
was right.
Since 1980, the working
hours of the working class not reduced significantly as it should be as per the
ZWT, as a consequence, the overall “value of the labor power” has decreased.
The technological progress has wiped out the large portion of industrial
manufacturing jobs, shifting the large portion of employment into the service
sector jobs. This has declined the
strength of the working class nearly to a collapsing point. On the other hand,
the strength of Capitalist or “ruling”
class had grown many folds. Paradoxically, Instead of the working class
demanding a reduction in working hours, the ruling class has begun to offer a
reduction in working hours. The corporates giant of the “Silicon-Valley”, have
even begun to promote the idea of UBI, which will allow the laboring class to
completely escape wage labor. I see this as an early manifestation of the ZWT.
Today I am more confident that history will prove that ZWT is right. I warned
about the rising threat of robot driving unemployment and proposed a scientific
solution, the gradual Reduction in the Working Hours (my theory in 1981).
Sadly, however, pundits in the field even today have not yet recognized or very
reluctant to accept this important historical message of ZWT.
In 1980 the "working
class" meant industrial jobs, manufacturing, and factory jobs. As per ZWT,
these jobs have dwindled away around the world, even in late developing
countries like South Korea. As working class jobs shrink down, countries are
examining Universal Basic Income (UBI). Office and professional jobs, which
were formerly "ruling class", have been demoted to the new
"working class", and they are following the same process of dwindling
away. Against the wishes of the Marx and all his predecessors, almost all of
the Communist/Socialist countries are gone. All capitalists nations did not
become socialist, and no socialist country evolved into a Utopian paradise.
They went back to being capitalist. Since no socialist theory said, "we
will become socialist, then go back to capitalism, then become socialist again,
and THEN become a Utopia", we can safely say that history has spoken, and
we can forget about traditional socialism.
ZWT written in 1981 in India. What is the
relevance of it to the rest of the world today?
ZWT is more relevant to the
world today than ever before! It applies primarily to industrially developed
nations, rather than developing countries like India, but as any nation
develops the theory has a greater impact. My writing definitely applies to the
United States, the world's leading industrial superpower as the ZWT model. The
majority of economists say that China will soon be the world's #1 economy.
China and a few smaller nations were very late to develop (much of Africa has
still to develop) and their Industrial base is still growing. ZWT predicts that
as China develops, they will follow the same pattern of massive industrial
unemployment, followed a few years later by growth and then decline in
white-collar work. China will seek relief through some form of UBI, as will
India. In the developed world, Sweden is testing UBI, Finland had a vote on UBI
(but lost), and in the US there is a lively discussion of the minimum wage,
which is a bit different than UBI, but overlaps on the idea of a "basic
income".
I don't expect the academics
to read my theory or mention me or the theory by name but I do see them
expressing their concerns and the solutions now that I spoke back in 1981.
Nations need to realize that "Technological Unemployment", created by
the AI deep-learning robots, will make human labor redundant, requiring the
implementation of an adequate Universal Basic Income (UBI).Therefore, the need
of the human wage-labor in the society can be completely done away with.
Does this theory
apply just to the rich, or equally to the poor countries? How would it be applied
in India vs. America?
Even though India is still
a developing country it will quickly follow the world, particularly the US. The
IT and Knowledge Industry in India will be impacted the first. I am not sure to
what extent we will see the entry of self-driving vehicles on Indian roads or
Wal-Mart robots in our supermarkets in the next 5 to 10 years. However, the
most important thing to know is that developing countries like India, seeking a
place in today's Globalized world, will be HELPLESS to do anything other than
following the technological trends in industrialized nations.
If robots take
over all work, what happens to today's jobs?
Past industrial revolutions
created far more jobs than they replaced. The intelligent robot revolution will
be different, wiping out all jobs performed by humans today. This is the first
time that there is a potential for NO net job creation. These robots are
capable performing not just existing jobs, but new jobs that are created by
technology changes. Robots are always more efficient and cost less than human
alternatives. Every year, the best robot gets better. The best human, the
absolute best in the world at doing a job, doesn't get better but does want to
be paid more. Don't we all expect to get a raise, especially as we become
experienced and perform better? Robots get cheaper as they improve. The robot
revolution will create new jobs, such as robot service technician. But new jobs
can be taken over by robots, just like old jobs were.
When most human labor
becomes redundant, and there are far more people than work, the majority of
people will have no employment. However, humans will still fill some jobs,
those that robots are not yet ready or not allowed to do. This could be less
than 30% of the jobs today. If there are only 30 jobs for 100 workers, no
amount of effort or perseverance on the part of workers will result in more
than 30% employment. The 70% unemployed can start their own business. A few may
have the skills to run a restaurant, make jewellery, write a book (that sells),
or even invent something. In America today, 90% of new businesses fail in a
good economy. Self-employment and small businesses might add 5% to 10% jobs...
at best. For everyone else, the vast majority, we need an adequate Universal
Basic Income (UBI).
However, some people will
demand a job. They may have critical skills, such as doctors and scientists,
that strongly benefit society should be kept employed. Other individuals will
outright reject a government stipend. To address these social issues, we need
to reduce the number of hours in a typical working week. The reduction in the
work week to 30 or fewer hours is probably a good starting place. For every
nation, their formula for an UBI and for a reduced work week will vary and may
change over time. It is for the people of every nation to DEMOCRATICALLY decide
these details.
What needs to
happen to implement the ZWT and when? Who needs to take action?
My present position is that
rapid AI robot automation will cause massive job losses and immense
unemployment problems. Public opinion, mass demonstrations, social media etc.
will compel Governments to implement "Universal Basic Income" (UBI)
or something of that sort, more so in the industrially developed countries. It
fundamentally differs from classical poverty/welfare programs. When Governments
implement and UBI, it will provide an "escape valve" for people who
cannot find a job and do not want to work anymore. My interpretation of the UBI
today is that it is an early manifestation of ZWT, a visible sign of society
adjusting to the overall Reduction in Working Hours Theory.
Why the UBI
essential part of the Zero Work Theory?
A Universal Basic Income or
whatever the name may be, will provide an alternative to a socially destructive
level of technological unemployment. Realistically, when most jobs go away,
they won't go away evenly. Robots will quickly replace clerks and truck
drivers, but heart surgeons will take longer. America already has tens of
millions of adults who do not work, for one reason or another. If everyone was
not financially required to work, parents would spend more time raising their
children or taking care of their elderly parents. That's what adults want to
do, that what their children want, and it's what THEIR parents want. It is also
what governments say are good family values and they want.
Will implementing UBI be
difficult? Yes, tremendously difficult. But what is the alternative?
Governments are just beginning to realize the extent of the disruption that
will be caused by robots. Will America outlaw technology? Can that be done if
China and other countries continue to use technology to dominate the global
economy? We have seen in the global financial collapse how difficult it is to
deal and "cure" unemployment to 8-10%. How will governments deal with
robotic unemployment of 50% or more? Will they offer training programs for jobs
that do not exist, or are about to be replaced by robots? What is the
alternative to a UBI that offers any dignity to the millions who cannot ever
re-enter the job market? For a dislocation in the job market this big, it takes
a solution that is equally big. To survive the AI Deep-Learning robot
revolution we need the UBI to reduce the total number of workers in the labor
force, and then we need to share the remaining work through a reduced-hour work
week.
The historic progress of
science and technology has created smart machines... robots and artificial
intelligence. Deep learning is a technology with the capability to understand
and duplicate human labor functions, and then instruct robots how to
independently produce goods and services in abundance. Little if any human
wage-labor will be needed. In the past, asking to be paid without working for
the money was considered lazy, or greedy, or dysfunctional. In the age of the
robot, instead of compelling everyone to have a job, people who are not willing
or capable of performing jobs should be allowed to withdraw from the job market
through the UBI and reduce the unemployment level. They can be free to do
whatever they like. Millennial might like it the most!
What is the ZWT Proposal to
Finance the UBI?
Many proponents of
Universal Basic Income suggest that the UBI can get enough funds by replacing
or cancelling the existing Govt. Entitlement, Welfare Programs. However, the
cancellation of these programs will mostly affect the poor, weak and the underprivileged.
It will face strong resistance, protest from many quarters of society including
the interest lobby groups like pensioners, women, etc., making it a highly
sensitive issue in the mainstream media, some of it can be very genuine. Providing a meagre amount in the name of UBI with
the cancellation of the popular Govt. welfare programs would be unethical and
unacceptable. Therefore, let explore some new avenues, alternatives to finance
an Adequate UBI.
Zero Work Theory which considers
UBI as the part and partial of its overall program has a very important
proposal to fund the UBI. There should be a Universal or Uniform Income Tax
(UIT) to fund the UBI. Under which the
Government should implement a flat rate (Uniform) Income Tax on every income
earning that the people make or receive. More of it explained in my blog: “ZWT Proposal: Uniform
Income Tax To Fund UBI” : http://anticorruptionfight.blogspot.in/2017/08/zwt-proposal-uniform-income-tax-to-fund.html
Also see the Part-II Zero
Work Theory in: http://anticorruptionfight.blogspot.in/2017/04/
Copyright 2016.-Valerian
Texeira
Revised on 19-3-2017 (India time)
Email: texeiraval@gmail.com
Email: texeiraval@gmail.com
