Introduction
Robots and self-learning machines are becoming increasingly common and affordable means of gaining a competitive edge. These allow one to produce faster and save more efficiently in many industries. People of all social strata are concerned about the hypothetical adverse effects of automation. One of them is Bill Gates, who introduced the tax on robots, which I support mainly because of financial and ethical reasons.
Evaluation of Robot Tax Idea
Progressivity/Regressivity
One of the questions regarding the robot tax is whether it must be introduced as progressive or regressive. The progressive option would keep proportionately more people employed, as larger companies would be less inclined to automate their production further. A regressive approach would not scare the prominent industrial actors. Still, it would reduce development opportunities for the smaller ones and lead to greater unemployment. A progressive robot tax is riskier but ethical, whereas a regressive one is safer but more socially damaging.
Economic and Social Impact
Introducing a tax on robots is likely to cause a positive response from the general public, as they are likely to perceive it as an ethical form of employee protection. However, this initiative would disappoint big industrialists if the tax were progressive. With the regressive tax, small and local manufacturers would be enraged by the policy. In terms of the economy, the fiscal measure discussed would increase the prices of automatically produced products and services, reducing their availability. It would also slow the rise of unemployment, ensuring healthier economic development.
Political Feasibility
The political feasibility of the robot tax is highly likely. The global economy already has a practical example of this in South Korea. According to Dizikes (2022), “South Korea has reduced incentives for firms to deploy robots” (para. 1). Labor unions are politically influential in Western and Westernized countries and are likely to promote and support this tax. Emerging countries usually have populations too large to afford Western-type large-scale automation without some leveling action.
Conclusion
The tax robot is a clever idea that Bill Gates theorized about a few years ago. I support this economic concept and believe that if introduced, it should be progressive due to ethical and financial reasons. It would make the economic and financial opportunities of smaller and larger industrial actors employing automation more equal and save relatively more jobs. A progressive robot tax would also ensure healthier economic growth.
Reference
Dizikes, P. (2022). Should we tax robots? MIT News. Web.