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Thinking Allowed: Robots and gender - Economic progress

04/08/2010

Robots and gender - Economic progress

BBC Radio 4 - Thinking Allowed, Robots and gender - Economic progress

Laurie Taylor hears why growth is good for all. Plus the rise of the fembot.

Since the financial crisis, economic growth is seen as problematic by some. Daniel Ben-Ami tells Laurie Taylor why increasing affluence benefits all. Also, roboticisation in Japan.

Prosperity is accused of encouraging greed, ruining the environment, undermining communities, causing unhappiness and widening social inequalities. The push for growth has been the bedrock policy for almost every world economy but since the financial crisis, belief in growth has become increasingly challenged. Daniel Ben-Ami, takes on what he calls the 'growth sceptics' and makes the claim that more affluence benefits the whole of society. He discusses the 'glories of growth' with Laurie Taylor and Kevin Doogan on Thinking Allowed on 4 August. 

Also, the rise of the 'fembot'. The Japanese government is investing billions in the development of robotic technology. They think the robot will do for the 21st century economy what the automobile did for the 20th. However, Jennifer Robertson thinks that as female robots are developed to perform some of the functions traditionally performed by women, it bodes ill for the future of Japanese society.

Producer: Charlie Taylor.

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