This is a podcast from the archives of the BBC Reith Lectures.

This lecture in the series The Age of Automation, given by Leon Bagrit, was originally broadcast in 1964.

The Age of Automation. You can now hear the fifth in the series of Reith Lectures, which are given by Sir Leon Baggart.

In this lecture, Sir Leon will be dealing with some of the more important industrial and economic problems,

which he believes are likely to arise as automation increases.

In putting automation into practice, its very novelty, its unfamiliarity is likely to arouse

instinctive caution on the part of political parties and political leaders, of organized

labour and of organized employers. If the situations badly handled and the implications of automation aren't made clear,

the forces opposed to change may turn out to be very powerful.

Nevertheless, the pressures of reality are so inexorable that I doubt if resistance

in a really serious scale could last for very long.

We've now reached a point where we could be moving into a golden age for the mass of human

beings with adequate food, shelter, clothing and amenities, and with the opportunity of developing

their bodies and their minds to a degree that's never before been possible.

The opponents of automation are basically people who are pessimists. Somehow, they don't

believe that human beings can be trusted with riches and leisure.

Tell them that here's a way in which we can all be better off,

and they warn us solemnly with a wagging finger to beware of affluence.

When the other fellows well off, perhaps he won't be willing to work.

I think this is against experience,

and in complete contradiction of all human striving.

To be in favour of more prosperity for everyone

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