As far back as the early 19th century, the Luddites took to breaking the factory machinery that threatened to replace them in violent protests which ended only after mill and factory owners called in the British Army.
Fast forward two centuries and it has been suggested that automation could again become a risk to the world's garment workers, many of whom have only their poorly paid jobs between them and starvation.
One expert who has been considering that very question is David Kucera, a research economist with the International Labour Organization (ILO) who has a longstanding interest in technical change.
