World Development Report 2019: The changing nature of work (Draft report)

There has never been a time when mankind was not afraid of the consequences of its talent for innovation. This is especially the case for economists with a professional interest in the future of work. Karl Marx worried that “machinery does not just act as a superior competitor to the worker, always on the point of making him superfluous. It is the most powerful weapon for suppressing strikes.” John Maynard Keynes warned in 1931 of widespread unemployment due to technology, but innovation has transformed our living standards. Life expectancy has increased, basic healthcare and education are widespread, average incomes have gone up for most people. The world is better connected, aspirations have risen, and citizens’ voices are more likely to be heard.The 2019 World Development Report studies how the nature of work is changing as a result of advances in technology today.The Report presents an analysis of various issues based upon the available evidence. And, for the first time, the World Bank is preparing that analysis in a transparent manner. The Report’s authors share the draft on a weekly basis so that you can follow along as they write and rewrite, responding to new information and ideas as they reach the team.