Technology

Technology and USA

The microeconomics image of the U.S. has changed immensely since 1973, and the tendencies are proving to be consistently downward for the nation's high school graduates and high school drop-outs. 'Of all the reasons given for the wage squeeze - international competition, technology, deregulation, the decline of unions and defence cuts - technology is probably the most critical. It has favoured the educated and the skilled,' says M. B. Zuckerman, editor-in-chief of U.S. News & World Report (7/31/95). Since 1973, salaries modified for inflation have declined by about a quarter for high school dropouts, by a sixth for high school graduates, and by about 7% for those with some college education. Only the salaries of school graduates are up.

Of the fastest growing mechanical occupations, software engineering peaks the list. Carnegie Mellon University reports, 'recruitment of its software engineering students is up this year by over 20%.' All engineering jobs are paying well, proving that highly skilled labour is what employers want! 'There is clear evidence that the supply of workers in the [unskilled labour] categories already exceeds the demand for their services,' says L. Mishel, study controller of Welfare restructure Network.

In outlook of these details, I marvel if these trends are good or awful for society. 'The hazard of the information age is that while in the short run it may be cheaper to restore workers with technology, in the long run it is potentially self-destructive because there will not be sufficient buying power to grow the economy,'M. B. Zuckerman. My feeling is that the trend from unskilled labour to highly technical, skilled labour is a good one! But, political action must be taken to ensure that this societal evolution is beneficial to all of us. 'Back in 1970, a high school diploma could still be a permit to the middle earnings bracket, a pleasant car in the driveway and a dwelling in the suburbs. Today all it gets is a clunker parked on the road, and a dingy luxury suite in a low lease building,' says Time publication (Jan 30, 1995 issue).

However, in 1970, our government supplied our young kids with a free learning, allowing the huge most of our population to profit from a high school diploma. This means that anyone, despite of family income, could be educated to a grade that would permit them a comfortable location in the middle class. Even restrictions upon child labour hours kept children in school, since they are not allowed to work full time while under the age of 18.

This government principle was conducive to our financial markets, and allowed our country to prosper from 1950 through 1970. Now, our own prosperity has moved us into a highly technical world that requires highly skilled labour. The natural response to this problem is that the U.S. Government's education policy should keep stride with the claims of the highly mechanical job market. If a middle class income of 1970 required a high school diploma, and the middle class income of 1990 requires ...