Automation and inequalitydoes a relation exist?

  1. Jose Ignacio López Sánchez 1
  2. Jose Luis Arroyo Barrigüete 2
  3. Tomás Curto González 2
  1. 1 Universidad Complutense de Madrid
    info

    Universidad Complutense de Madrid

    Madrid, España

    ROR 02p0gd045

  2. 2 Universidad Pontificia Comillas
    info

    Universidad Pontificia Comillas

    Madrid, España

    ROR https://ror.org/017mdc710

Journal:
UCJC Business & Society Review

ISSN: 2659-3270

Year of publication: 2020

Volume: 17

Issue: 4

Pages: 148-176

Type: Article

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More publications in: UCJC Business & Society Review

Abstract

Using a sample of 33 European countries in the period 2000-2016, this paper analyses the relationship between economic inequality, measured by the Gini index, and the automation level, evaluated according to the number of robots per 10,000 workers. Using a panel data approach, the conclusion is that higher levels of automation lead to a reduction in inequal-ity in the medium term. The explanation for this phenomenon can be found in the fact that automation increases wealth in the country, which can be used by governments to reduce inequality through redistributive policies. Because of the limitations of this paper, which does not include many effects relevant to explaining inequality, this result should be considered only as a starting point for further research. However, it does give us an indication that the relationship between inequality and the level of automation is far from obvious

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Funding information

This study was supported by the H2020 Topic ICT 28-2017, Inclusive Robotics for a better Society (INBOTs CSA EU project 780073).

Funders

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