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Julius Nyerere’s Social Thought and Human Work in the Age of Automation Technologies by Gerald M. Kimario, AJ
ABSTRACT
This article examines the relevance of Julius Nyerere’s social thought in protecting human work as an economic human right in the age of automation technology. The application of automation technologies in various sectors such as industry, agriculture, health, and construction has increasingly replaced human work thus making workers redundant and jobless resulting in the creation and widening of socio-economic inequalities. Nyereres’ social thought advocates for the centrality of the human person in all sectors. Nyerere argued that authentic development means people (maendeleo [bora] ni watu) and people means work (Watu ni kazi. Mtu ni kazi, na kipimo cha utu ni kazi).[1] Nyerere’s social thought is based on the principles of human dignity and equality, the common good, preferential options for the marginalized, and democratic participation of each one in socio-economic and political issues. In defense of these social principles, Nyerere proposed and argued for a work ethic that interprets work as the measure of human dignity, respect, and self-reliance. However, the continuation of this social philosophy is challenged today by the application of automation technologies, including artificial intelligence, humanoids robots, and driverless cars which tend to dehumanize work and consequently render human person jobless and dependent. Now the obvious question here is: How can Nyerere’s social thought be appropriately used in protecting human work in our age of automation technology?
PUBLISHER
American Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Research – AJHSSR (2022) 6:7, 176-182. Retrieved from www.ajhssr.com (Open Access)
[1] Physical structures like buildings and infrastructures are referred as tools of development. Cf. Julius K. Nyerere, Man and Development (Dar-es-Salaam: Oxford University Press, 1974), 26.