Humancapitaltheory,orthenotionthatthereisadirectrelationshipbetweeneducationalinvestmentandindividualandnationalprosperity,hasdominatedpublicpolicyoneducationandlaborforthepastfiftyyears.InTheDeathofHumanCapital?,PhillipBrown,HughLauder,andSinYiCheungarguethatthehumancapitalstoryisoneoffalsepromise:investinginlearningisn’ttheroadtohigherearningsandnationalprosperity.Ratherthanabandoninghumancapitaltheory,however,theauthorsredefinehumancapitalinanageofsmartmachines.TheypresentanewhumancapitaltheorythatrejectstheviewthatautomationandAIwillresultintheendofwagedwork,butseethefundamentalproblemasalackofqualityjobsofferinginteresting,worthwhile,andrewardingopportunities.Acontroversialchallengetothereigningideology,TheDeathofHumanCapital?connectswithagrowingsensethatcapitalismisincrisis,feltbystudentsandthewiderworkforce,showswhat’satstakeinthenewhumancapitalwhileofferinghopeforthefuture.
