We'll see. Once upon a time, typical low-skilled people might work on farms, or work in factories, or perhaps drive trucks. Now, none of those industries look like they need to employ vast numbers of US citizens. The unemployed people are not going to suddenly become systems analysts working in cubicles. And they aren't going to all become entrepreneurs marketing miracle products to emerging nations.
No. A lot of Americans are going to end up sitting at home, thinking, "I have nothing much to offer my society. I am not needed."
It isn't a good thing.
But, hey, who knows? Maybe something else will come along.
My late father was born in 1925 and lived through the Depression. He told me several times that successful salesmen had money while most people were near starvation. One can learn sales at short seminars, on the Internet or through a sort of apprenticeship. No degree is required in most sales positions.
This is something smaller towns need to be addressing quickly, because yes, the new economy will kill small towns. (And I believe that if we all get herded into big cities, the country itself will die) One thing they can do is bring back some manufacturing to these towns, including value added food production like packaging or bakeries, rather than shipping commodity crops.
Socialism is inevitable. Commoners need jobs to dig ditches. For rations.
Socialism is inevitable. Commoners need jobs to dig ditches. For rations.