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There is a significant difference between a line worker in a factory and a software developer.

Nope, I disagree. Indian, Pakistani, and Chinese software developers have seriously undercut Western labor -- to the point where Western companies have already begun to migrate significant amounts of work. If you don't want to become extinct, upgrade your skills now. Bone up on project management, requirements analysis, and software design.

Then you don't understand the skills required to perform either function. Some of the most complicated problems in the world can only be solved using computer models. Stamping circuit boards is hardly the skill of a "high-tech" worker.

Software analyisis/design is a function of software development for a vast majority of developers. Project management is nothing more than deciding what your going to do and how long it should take (and estimating cost if that's your role). For the sake of this discussion we'll put aside office politics as a navigable function of a PM.

I've done all of it and still do it today. However, I didn't always do it and I wouldn't be where I am today if I hadn't had the opportunity to move up the ladder.

Trust me, if I become extinct then 98% of everyone on this board performing software development will as well. The remaining 2% will remain employed because of their political skills not their technical talent.