Co William 11600306 EA

The Inequality Within Science and Technology

Science and Technology has been with humans ever since the beginning of human
civilization. It is without a doubt that this science and technology has paved the way
for the betterment of human civilization, but it has also paved the way for social
inequality.
Throughout history, science and technology favored highly skilled workers and high
ranking positions rather than blue collar laborers. This can be seen in the 1820
industrial revolution. This era mark the time where in industries were introducing
machines to replace human jobs. This resulted in an increase in productivity but
also an increase of social inequality. People who owned or managed factories and
industries, given the increase of productivity predominantly accumulated more
wealth (Majewski, 1986). As labor intensive jobs were being replaced, it was only
the skilled jobs that could not be automated that remained. With less human
laborers to compensate, wealth accumulated within these industries and highly
skilled laborers. Thus increasing the social stratification.
The same can be seen today. With science and technology constantly improving, it
has replaced more and more jobs. A modern example would be Silicon Valley. It is
without a doubt Silicon Valley has been increasing in wealth, given the rise of its
GDP but because of social inequality wages are not going up. The great physicist
Stephen Hawking once said great technological advances can leave most people
miserably poor (long, 2015). He argued that everyone can enjoy a luxurious life
with technology, if wealth accumulated from technology is shared. Though
accordingly to Hawking wealth is not being shared in Silicon Valley. The gap
between the rich and poor in Silicon Valley has been increasing exponentially (long,
2015). Because of technology, Silicon Valley tech industries have become extremely
wealthy (smith, 2016). Though this wealth mainly distributes around these tech
industries and not to the others. An example of this is Uber. Ubers utilization of
technology has created a labor system where in, taxi drivers are contractors rather
than employees. This results with drivers that dont get employment benefits or job
security that a normal taxi driver would have. Furthermore, given Ubers business
model they also avoid taxation that a normal taxi operator would have. This results
is Uber accumulating wealth, comparatively to other standard business models.
With less employees and less taxation wealth is irregularly distributed to the few,
thus resulting in social inequality.
Furthermore science and technology can be seen mostly supporting the wealthy.
This is a form of social inequality. This inequality can be seen in healthcare. Rich
nations often benefit from the development of science and technology in healthcare
rather than the poor. Seen with the events concerning the Ebola virus that has
affected the African people with death throughout recent years. According to Daniel
Bausch, an Ebola researcher, possible vaccines have already been made for Ebola;
but because of the economic situation of Africa they are unable to manufacture
these vaccines for testing. Pharmaceutical companies have little incentive to
produce these kinds of vaccines for low income African countries (Kliff, 2014). These
companies could stand to lose money if they pursue with the production of these
vaccines. The problem is not the lack of science and technology but the social
inequality of poverty that comprises the nations. The development of science and

technology has produced the knowledge to cure and impede the virus but because
of the African nations lack of wealth, this knowledge is not utilized. If perhaps
African was a wealthy country rather than an impoverished one, they would have
receive the healthcare that they required immediately. It can be seen in this
situation, that the application of science and technology favors wealthy nations
rather than impoverished ones.
Given the development of science and technology, it has driven the
development of nations. Though with development comes social inequality. The
development of technology has driven the loss of certain jobs and also the
accumulation of wealth of a few. Furthermore it has developed in favor to the
wealthy rather than equally to all.

Sources
Smith, J. (2016, January 6). Silicon Valley Is Lying to You About Economic Inequality.
Retrieved November 2, 2016, from Tech.Mic, https://mic.com/articles/131861/siliconvalley-is-lying-to-you-about-economic-inequality#.ChwKqfo8me
Long, H. (2015, October 12). Stephen Hawking: Technology is making inequality
worse. Retrieved November 01, 2016, from CNN,
http://money.cnn.com/2015/10/12/news/economy/stephen-hawking-technologyinequality/index.html
Kliff, S. (2014, July 31). Why isnt there an Ebola vaccine? Retrieved November 2,
2016, from Vox, http://www.vox.com/2014/7/31/5952665/ebola-virus-vaccine-whyhasnt-it-happened
Majewski, J. (1986, July 1). The industrial revolution: Working class poverty or
prosperity? | John Majewski. Retrieved November 2, 2016, from FEE,
https://fee.org/articles/the-industrial-revolution-working-class-poverty-or-prosperity/