eimf Talk: Populism, Productivity and the 4th Industrial Revolution

Over the last few years the West’s political Establishment has been shaken by a wave of continuing populist revolts. This Talk first looks at some of the economic reasons behind the revolt – such as the lack of real wage growth – and then at the longer run explanations for this, in particular the varying pattern of productivity growth (or recently the lack of such growth) and the critical question of how equally the benefits of such growth have been distributed, in an era of generally weakened trade unions and the growth of the ‘gig’ (self-employed) economy.



After reviewing what has happened in these areas since the crises – both 2008-9 and then the Eurozone’s own extra crisis of 2011-12 – the Talk will examine some possible good news on one of the two fronts: a digital transformation of manufacturing that will amount to a ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’. The Talk will conclude by looking at who might reap the benefits.