3D Printers Will Destroy Wages?

An interesting discussion on the Open Manufacturing group asks the question: in the future when personal manufacturing equipment is widespread, what happens to the traditional consumer-manufacturer-wage earner cycle? In other words, if everyone can easily build things, what happens? Will good salaries disappear because there will be fewer buyers for traditionally manufactured items? Patrick Anderson asks: 

 

As the overhead to participate is reduced, the number of potential workers is increased.

  

As capital-outlay approaches zero, all peers will have the chance to reverse-bid for any job for which they have skills.

 

This will cause wages to fall to the minimum since there will then be nothing to stop consumers from hiring the lowest bidder.

 

P.M. Lawrence proposes the following scenario: 

 

Essentially, if people owned (enough of) their own resources, distinct wages would be a smaller component of what they would need and would get for a living, so that would become a non-issue. The first stage would act to provide them with the equivalent through wages, by assisting wages.

 

However, Kevin Carson says: 

 

Cheaper means of production means lower capital outlays to be amortized, a smaller revenue stream required to retire the outlay, and the ability to ride out longer periods of unemployment with little revenue without going in the hole from the cost of servicing debt. The increased number of needs that can be met cheaply through self-provisioning, as household-scale tools become affordable, will also reduce short-term cash flow needs and increase workers' ability to ride out short periods of unemployment -- and hence their ability to walk away from the bargaining table.

 

We're definitely not sure how this will play out. However, we are certain *something* will play out over the next decade. 

Comments

[simmer]

Did the industrial revolution hurt the wages of the skilled tradesman? Probably...but the society as a whole benefited.

An economy has limited resources. If the resources needed to feed means of production is reduced, then more resources are available for other economic activities. We have the luxury of pursuing the cure for cancer because we have more than enough resources to provide for life's essentials (food, housing, etc).

The real question is how easy is it to produce wealth. 3D printers make it easy to turn something of little value into something of great value. A 3D printer revolution would cause tremendous change in the economy...and that always displaces people...but in the long run it would be great for everyone. As they say, a rising tide lifts all boats.

[Innovator116]

3d printing and localized fabrication will lead to next industrial revolution. This will change the economic structure of working for a wage and dominance of capital.

Hopefully, concept of human rentals and wage slavery will end, also centralized monetary system of currency and debt will be replaced by alternative currencies and value exchange system.

What I am saying is essentially is that concept of 'wage job' and 'Single money system' will become obsolete.

[simmer]

Our economy is not limited to the production of products. There are services, distribution, marketing, finance, etc. Over the years, the amount of resources required to produce the products we use has dramatically decreased as a total percentage of the economy...yet the "wage job" continues.

A 3D printing revolution will only accelerate this. It could lead to great changes in the economy, but I think your idea of a new monetary system or the end of the "wage job" are quite a stretch.

The "wage job" is a function of security. Many workers value income security. They fore go the potential for high earnings for a secure wage. In the United States, anyone can start a business and make a go at it. What I am saying is the wage job is desirable to some and I don't see that changing anytime soon.

[David]

Did electricity destroy the wages of whale fishermen? Yes. Would I want to go back to using whale oil lamps? No.

Did diesel locomotive engines destroy the wages of firemen that shoveled coal into a steam engine? Yes. Do I want to revert to using steam engines? No.

Did the movable type destroy the wages of monks? Umm. Do I want to live in a world where knowledge is passed on in apprenticeships or the like? No.

[Drone]

Can a 3D printer print this Blog? No.

[innovator116]

Speaking of services sector, its even more easy to end wage slavery in that. Just see wikipedia, linux and open source software, kiva, zipcar ,sharing movement and so on......also we need to end making distinction between 'employers' and 'workers'. Companies like bettermeans and microtask point to a peer based and collaborative work space.
There's no security, living for a wage...what matters is local autonomy with sustainability and resilience. Instead of far away employer deciding fate of employees with global monetary system. Its better to have local and global online peers based services with federated local and global currencies for different purposes.