Decentralization in Industry 4.0: The End of the Debates in International Relations Theories on the Role of the State?

Year 2020, Volume: 5 Issue: 1, 19 - 34, 17.04.2020

Ali İhsan Kahraman

Abstract

This article discusses the impact of the fourth industrial development (Industry 4.0) on the
great debate in international relations discipline about the role of state in international relations
theories. Industry 4.0, through automation mechanisms, is expected to increase the
need for qualified labor by leading the increase in the unemployment rate in the world, or
at best, by changing the content of the concept of labor. By the way, in all cases, the increase
in unemployment rate is the common acceptance in discussions. In this respect, this article
agrees with the inevitability of reflections on the debates in international relations theories
of social disruptions due to increased unemployment. This article explores the relations between
industry 4.0, unemployment, social disruptions, the state and international relations
theories and makes a scenario analysis. In conclusion, it claims the increase of the role of
the state, rather than a decrease, due to the unemployment or change in the qualification
of labor, and therefore probably, the continuity of the debates over the role of the state in
international relations theories.

Keywords

Industry 4.0, Unemployment, International Relations Theories, State, Huntington

Sanayi 4.0’ın Merkezsizliği: Uluslararası İlişkiler Teorilerinde Devletin Rolü Tartışmalarının Sonu mu?

Abstract

Bu makalede 21. Yüzyılın birinci çeyreği bitmeye yaklaşırken en çok tartışılan konulardan
biri olan dördüncü sanayi devriminin (Sanayi 4.0) uluslararası ilişkiler teorilerinde devletin
rolü tartışmalarına muhtemel etkileri irdelenmiştir. Sanayi 4.0’ın otomasyon teknolojilerindeki
odağının işsizlik oranını artırması veyahut iyi ihtimalle emek kavramının içeriğini
değiştirerek nitelikli iş gücüne olan ihtiyacı artıracağı düşünülmektedir. Bununla beraber,
her iki senaryo altında da işsizlik rakamlarının artacağı genel bir kabuldür. Bu minvalde,
işsizliğin oluşturacağı sosyal denge bozulmalarının devletlerin toplumsal hayattaki rolleri
üzerindeki etkilerinin uluslararası ilişkiler teorilerine de yansıması kaçınılmazdır. Bu makale,
Sanayi 4.0-işsizlik-sosyal dengeler-devlet-teori ilişkisini irdelemekte ve bir senaryo
analizi yapmaktadır. Analizin sonucunda ise, işsizliğin veya emek niteliğinin değişiminde
devletin rolünü azaltacağı değil, aksine artıracağını öngörmekte ve uluslararası ilişkiler teorilerindeki
devletin rolü tartışmalarının daha da süreceğini savunmaktadır.

Keywords

Sanayi 4.0, İşsizlik, Uluslararası İlişkiler Teorileri, Devlet, Huntington

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