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Browsing Office of the Dean: Law by Author "Sparks, Curtis Roderick"

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    “May the fourth be with you”: how will the fourth industrial revolution impact South Africa’s labour force?
    (University of the Free State, 2023) Sparks, Curtis Roderick; Smit, Dina Maria
    As we are on the verge of transitioning from an already modern era to a more sophisticated one, one cannot help but sit back and wonder how this new leap will affect the current and future world of employment. The First Industrial Revolution came into being due to the developments made in the textile and iron industry, the use of steam and other forms of power, and the adoption of factory systems in the middle of the 18ᵗʰ century.⁵ Through these developments and initiatives, the First Industrial Revolution brought about social and economic change, increased business and trade, laid the foundation for the creation of new machinery, and much more.⁶ However, with these positive measures came adverse effects. Employers pushed employees beyond their limits, child labour increased, and cities became overpopulated.⁷ The First Industrial Revolution saw the rise of trade unionism as those employed desired more control over their work. Workers had to endure terrible working conditions on a daily basis, which were detrimental to their health and life. This led to these aggrieved workers forming trade unions to fight for a better work-life and working environment.⁸ The Second Industrial Revolution, which occurred late in the 19th century, added to that developed during the First Industrial Revolution. It brought electricity, chemical industries (and their chemical products), electronic communications technology, and alloys.⁹ These inventions made people's lives much more convenient and increased productivity in many countries.¹º However, those employed continued to work for long hours in horrible conditions, living conditions deteriorated, and many companies suffered at the hands of debt.¹¹ Trade unions started expanding across different industries during the Second Industrial Revolution, all aiming to promote better working conditions and eradicate continued exploitation.¹² The Knights of Labour was one of the most important unions during this period in that it was one of the few that had no restrictions on its membership.¹³ The Third Industrial Revolution brought automation and digitization to the table with the help of electronics, computers, the Internet, and new communication technologies in the middle of the 20ᵗʰ century.¹⁴ The Third Industrial Revolution paved the way for new innovations, which in turn created new types of jobs, such as software engineers and IT specialists. However, it also resulted in the loss of many other jobs due to implemented robots and computers capable of performing human tasks, such as agricultural activities.¹⁵ The Fourth Industrial Revolution, built on the developments of the Third Industrial Revolution, is not far from imposing its full effect.¹⁶ It will be accompanied by innovations ranging from artificial intelligence and cloud computing to 3-D printing and augmented reality.¹⁷ The impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution will stretch as far as the four corners of the earth and cause multiple disruptions, especially in the world of work. It is predicted that new types of jobs will be ushered in, and current ones will evolve, requiring individuals to either upskill or reskill.¹⁸ Unfortunately, the Fourth Industrial Revolution will also lead to the downfall of many jobs and the replacement of humans in others.¹⁹ This begs the question of whether our current labour laws are relevant and sufficient to protect employees during this period. Each of the previous industrial revolutions left their mark on society and, inadvertently, the workplace. The First Industrial Revolution with steam power and the factory system, the Second Industrial Revolution with electricity and chemicals, and the Third Industrial Revolution with automation and digitization. The question now is what possible impact, or how would the Fourth Industrial Revolution impact, the current and future world of employment. This mini-dissertation is centred on this question. It explores the possible impact of this new industrial revolution, specifically referring to current and future employees and employers. Will it be more advantageous than disadvantageous to the latter parties, or will it be the other way around? This is the question that concerns many, including me.