What will be our post-pandemic future?

There is an argument that the greater danger than the COVID-19 pandemic is not the virus itself but the capitalist system. Humanity has all the scientific knowledge and technological tools to overcome the virus. The real problem is greed and ignorance. Many people are being encouraged not to respond with global solidarity, but instead to blame other countries, ethnic and religious minorities. Instead of politicians urging us all to develop our compassion and our generosity to help people in need, they are espousing conspiracy theories.

Much of the public fear the epidemic and seek a strong powerful charismatic leader to take over control. This makes it far easier for a dictator to do exactly that, to take over. He could easily create a totalitarian regime.

  If you have had demagogues who have been lying for years, then you have less reason to trust them in this emergency. We have witnessed a variety of populist politicians undermining experts, saying that those scientists are part of a remote elite, disconnected from the people, politicians who have been telling us things like climate change are just a hoax and you shouldn't believe the scientific consensus. 

We can prevent it from happening. But to prevent it from happening, we first of all have to realise the dangers. Fortunately, at this moment of crisis all over the world, we see that ordinary people are placing their trust in the scientific advice. When expert opinion warn us about other threats besides this pandemic, such as climate change and ecological collapse, we will heed their warnings with the same seriousness that we now take what they say about COVID-19. 

With the lockdown we have come to recognise who are the key essential workers and now know who is the superfluous class because of the current economic crisis.

But the capitalists are not stupid. They will endeavour to restructure their system to protect themselves. 

We can now expect to see an increase in the rate automation is implemented, with robots and Artificial Intelligence replacing working people in more and more jobs. Robots cannot get sick.

Employers have grown aware of which parts of their businesses permits employees to work remotely from home on-line and remote from fellow workers. It could result in the return to the “cottage industry” for many sectors of the economy and the possible collapse of organised labour for some.

We may also see that the supply chain being shortened and some countries deciding to repatriate manufacturing  instead of relying on off-shore factories elsewhere. It will mean ensuring that the policy of cheap labour and weak unions also continues to maintain that the same rate of profit still carries on.

 So because of automation and de-globalisation a large number of working people across the world may well

lose their jobs and security.

Adapted from here
https://www.dw.com/en/virus-itself-is-not-the-biggest-danger-says-yuval-noah-harari/a-53195552