Industrial Revolution vs. AI Revolution: Same Fears, New Era

historical1234 — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 14:39:19 +0000

The Luddites are remembered as people who opposed machines. But while reading contemporary accounts of the 1811 1813 textile disturbances, I found that many of their complaints focused on wage cuts, deskilling, changes in labor relations rather than the existence of machinery itself.

That made me think how much of today's debate around AI echoes those earlier arguments. The Industrial Revolution largely automated physical work over several decades. Large language models are automating parts of knowledge work, and they're spreading globally in just a few years.

I ended up looking at the historical parallels between the Industrial Revolution and today's AI transition, including the Luddite movement, Engels' Pause, and how technological change reshaped the value of human labor.

https://thehistoricalinsights.page/2025/05/industrial-revolution-vs-ai-revolution-same-fears-new-era.html

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48921559

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New comment by historical1234 in "How Japan's railways stayed one while splitting apart"

historical1234 — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 05:36:53 +0000

The IC card system is one of those things people don't appreciate until they travel somewhere without it.

I remember reading that interoperability between Suica, Pasmo, ICOCA and the others didn't happen overnight. A lot of agreements had to be worked out between companies that were technically competitors.

It's interesting how much invisible coordination goes into making a system feel simple

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Industrial Revolution vs. AI Revolution: Same Fears, New Era

New comment by historical1234 in "How Japan's railways stayed one while splitting apart"