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Reassessing Oscar Lange's Insights on AI and Labor Relations in Modern Capitalism
- 1 University of California, Davis, California, 95616, The United States
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Abstract
The work examines Oscar Lange’s cybernetic economic theory in the context of modern advancements in artificial intelligence and its socio-economic implications. It focuses on Lange’s vision of integrating computer simulations into socialist economic planning to enhance efficiency and democracy, contrasting this with current AI development under capitalism.The research investigates how AI technologies today align with Lange’s theoretical predictions, while also highlighting the divergence toward crises such as cyber-feudalism, dehumanization, and economic inequality. Using comparative analysis, theoretical deduction, and historical data reviews, the paper discusses AI's potential benefits and challenges in productivity and production relations. It examines whether future historical developments will align with cyber-feudal dystopias or post-scarcity utopias. Such study concludes that although Lange’s vision was constrained by technical and political challenges of his time, AI has partially validated the potential of computer-assisted economic planning. However, instead of advancing socialism, AI has deepened capitalist contradictions. At this intersection of technological progress and social upheaval, the paper emphasizes the importance of embedding ethical frameworks, such as Lange’s socialist principles, into AI systems to mitigate inequality and alienation. It suggests that responsible technological development can offer a path toward a more humane and equitable future, but continuous observation and critical analysis are required to align technology with human needs. This study acknowledges its limitations in focusing primarily on Lange's theoretical frameworks without comprehensive empirical data on AI's impact across industries. Future research should integrate quantitative analyses and qualitative studies to further understand AI's effects on labor markets and social inequalities.
Keywords
Oscar Lange, artificial intelligence, cybernetic economy, socialist theory, labor dynamics
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Cite this article
Yuan,L. (2025). Reassessing Oscar Lange's Insights on AI and Labor Relations in Modern Capitalism. Advances in Economics, Management and Political Sciences,133,201-206.
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Volume title: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Business and Policy Studies
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