Backwards Quote by Branko Milanovic
“When the industrial revolution happened there was the Luddistic movement, and there was a fear that machinery would replace all the labor. Whenever we had a technological revolution we had this fear. So if you look backwards, these fears were not justified, and I think they were driven by our very human inability to visualize what new jobs will be created by this new technology.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Economic Forum, 2020
Technological change often sparks fear of job loss, but history shows new jobs emerge that we cannot foresee.
In simple terms: People fear machines will take jobs, yet new work appears.
Key Takeaway
Embrace change, focus on future opportunities.
Themes
technology
economics
labor
fear
innovation
Mood
cautious
optimistic
Type
analytical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- policy making
- career planning
- education reform
- entrepreneurship
Key Concepts
creative destruction
future of work
skill adaptation
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies better anticipate emerging job sectors?
- What policies can ease transition for displaced workers?
A Different Perspective
Fear can overlook short‑term disruption and inequality.
![“Well, you can do whatever you want, but just don’t call it inequality. Put the word poverty there. Because we have many rich people on our board, and when they see the word poverty that makes them feel good, because [it means] they’re really nice people who care about the poor. When they see the…” quote by Branko Milanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0f0/branko-milanovic-34886_care_well-you-can-do-whatever-you-want-but-ju_2888062.jpg)
