Κοινωνικές ανισότητες στον δίδυμο - πράσινο και ψηφιακό - καπιταλισμό

Στεργίου, Άννα

Master Thesis

Author

Στεργίου, Άννα

Date

2022-06

Abstract

This paper is intending to explore and describe social inequalities that are formed at the stage of "Green" (“Eco” / green) and Digital (digital / smart) or Networking capitalism which can be called "Twin Transformation of Capitalism” because of this double transformation. The paper explores and refers to the changes and transformation brought because of the "twin" capitalism (green/eco and digital) at the world firmament, focusing mostly at the example of Greece the period after pandemic, creating new socio-economic relations, changing the model of education, labor and production. It explores the characteristics of green and digital capitalism and their consequences at the economic - social development, in the sphere of public and private life but also in the formation of the new eco-digital ideology. Although the new green and digital model of development is considered or oriented as an improved stage of capitalism, it still creates or reproduces new dependent relations between countries that don’t have the same level of green and digital development. It generates, reproduces or transforms social inequalities that exist already at the societies or become a result from a lack of access or reduced access to green and digital technology. A new production model based on green and digital technology is followed, which, however, does not concern all citizens of the world to the same degree, because doesn’t everyone has the same means, the same skills or even the right tools, to watch or to be a part of this financial and social transformation. The social inequalities as a result from green and digital capitalism concern and extend to all areas of socio-economic life. They start from school age, with children who are familiar or kids who have no idea or access to digital technology. At the same time it orients poverty and energy poverty or women's access to digital education. As a matter of fact mostly elder people don’t have e.g. the right digital skills to understand or to be a part of the new age and its demands. At this point we would say that this social and financial change has been accelerated due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The factors of gender, generation, race, play a key role at the new green and digital model of capitalism. At the same time this face of capitalism widens the generation gap and gender inequalities. Also creates new possibilities and opportunities for digital citizens but at the same time a new gap, especially for those who cannot keep up with the new era due to energy poverty or lack of digital skills. At this paper we will show how “green” and digital capitalism is superficially “ecological”, because man is still the ruler of nature through the use of rare ores. At the same time “green” and satellite garbage are increasing and multiplying. The green and digital growth model is still based on the principles of capitalism. The labor model of surplus value as the conflict theory suggests still remains, as the employer-dependent employee relationship continues. However, at the same time twin capitalism is creating a new, highly skilled globalized working human resource. At this stage of capitalism, however, the means of production may also belong to the worker himself. It’s should be referred that artificial intelligence creates a parallel and competitive work model between humans and robots. Jobs, especially low-skilled ones are expected to be filled en masse in the coming years by robots already in use mostly in the tourism and industrial job market. The new and cheap workforce threatens the health care systems around the world, reducing the ability of trade unions to intervene, creating problems in claiming rights to reduce social inequalities. Despite the enormous potential of the 5G and 6G networks, people's freedom is being restricted as e-files become more and more accessible and financially weaker citizens are more vulnerable to cyber-attacks and data theft. In this context, the media play a key role as they show that green and digital transition in terms of energy and digital technology are one way road reproducing the dominant ideology. So, smaller countries are not being able to exploit their mineral wealth to recover as well as creating a favorable framework in order for there to be a smooth transformation of societies at this direction. However, countries with smaller economic sizes, which have not always had the same share in global emissions, are unable to exploit their mineral wealth to recover; so that there is a smooth, economic transformation of societies into green ones. In addition, new, transnational inequalities are being created betwin countries emerging in green and digital technology and others lagging behind, creating or reproducing new geopolitical upheavals and geopolitical inequalities as well as new migratory currents emerging as the new climate outcasts. On the other hand, it is worth noting, that the model of human domination in nature was followed not only by capitalist countries but also by countries of existing socialism, although they had on their agenda environmental policy, mainly in the context of international competition to the west countries in natural resources and mostly in space exploration. The equine management of resources did not concern the ordinary citizens, who occupied their minimum private space in the apartment buildings, as much as the party nomenclature. In the context of ideological supremacy under Stalin, the "Seven Sisters" as the 7 skyscrapers –towers are called, were built at the period 1947 to 1953, (Russian Baroque and Gothic style) as emblematic buildings of the glamour of Soviet culture. The rivalry with the West was reflected in Khrushchev's words, attributing to Stalin the phrase: "We have won the war; foreigners will come to Moscow, they will walk and there are no skyscrapers."If they compare Moscow to capitalist cities, it is a moral blow to us." The model of domination in nature prevailed even after the openings of the socialist countries in the context of global industrialization with the well-known problems of air pollution, which are very much visible in China. Of course this is the result of an anarchy growth of industrial activities which were carried out from the West countries in recent decades due to reduced labor costs. According to 2019 data, China produced 27% of air pollutants, which is even more than the United States, which can be understand as the symbol of global capitalism as a country and the second largest producer of air pollutants in the world. However, here we can nοt talk basically about social inequalities but about political inequalities following Max Weber's definition of political power, a bourgeois sociologist, since the position of individuals in society is mostly determined by the position of the communist parties. The major geopolitical problems combined with the changes in the field of energy from fossil fuels to green technologies are creating new disorganization between the western world and the countries of the former Eastern bloc with the energy crisis being strongly reflected in the Ukrainian issue.

Postgraduate Studies Programme

Κλιματική Κρίση και Τεχνολογίες Πληροφορικής και Επικοινωνιών / MSc in Climate Crisis and Information and Communication Technologies

Department

Σχολή Τεχνολογιών Πληροφορικής και Επικοινωνιών. Τμήμα Ψηφιακών Συστημάτων

Number of pages

347

Language

Greek

URI

https://dione.lib.unipi.gr/xmlui/handle/unipi/15483
http://dx.doi.org/10.26267/unipi_dione/2905

Collections

Τμήμα Ψηφιακών Συστημάτων

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Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as
Αναφορά Δημιουργού-Μη Εμπορική Χρήση-Όχι Παράγωγα Έργα 3.0 Ελλάδα