[ExI] robotic lunch counters

[Anders Sandberg]

Rafal Smigrodzki <rafal.smigrodzki at gmail.com> , 26/6/2014 10:22 AM:

### Let me give you a Marxist answer: Everything depends on who and how controls the means of production (that's the usual commie word for capital).
Note that the Freedonia example assumes nobody else builds robots. If the local elites or rabble have means of production and/or enforcement the scenarios get equalized.
Another issue is what the robots can produce. In the example it was mining something and defence. If that is all, then there will still be large groups of artisans and other professionals that need to be kept happy to produce the stuff the owner wants. If robots can do that, then we are already roaring into the AGI situation where things will change anyway dramatically. 
Still, I think the basic argument is relevant: if capital can replace labour, the economy becomes very different. What society one runs on top of it may be very variable. 

Anders Sandberg, Future of Humanity Institute Philosophy Faculty of Oxford University
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